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PRINCETON,  N.  J. 


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Division 
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Number 


f/r 


J.  1 


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For  INDEX,  see  page  748. 


Historical  Sketch 

OF 

PRESBYTERIAN ISM 


WITHIN  THE  BOUNDS  OF  THE 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NKW  YORK. 


Prepared  and   Published  at  the    Request  of  the  Synod. 


By  P.  H.  FOWLER,  1).   I). 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  ELEMENT 

IN  OUB 

NATIONAL  LIFE  AND  HISTORY. 


.  I  //  Address  Delivered  before  the  Synod  of  Central  Xew  York 
at  Wateriown,  October  187//,  is  TO. 


\\\     Prok.    J.    W.    MKARS,    I).   I). 


I  TIC  A,    N.    Y. 
CUBTI88  &  CHILDS,  Pi  lU.lsiiKiis  and  Priktebs,  Hii  Qenesi  i    Si 

1877 


HISTORICAL  SKETCH 


OK 


PRESBYTERIANISM 


WITHIN  THE  IJOUXIX  OF  THK 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  fORK. 


Prepared  and  Published  at  the  Request  of  the  Synod. 


By  P.  H.   FoWLEK,  I).  I). 


INTRODUCTORY. 


The  following  pages  were  begun  with  nothing  more  in 
contemplation  than  a  single  discourse.  It  was  soon  learned 
that  nothing  satisfactory  could  be  compressed  within  so 
small  a  compass,  and  the  freedom  of  space  which  a  narra- 
tive allows  was  assumed.  But  the  original  intention  some- 
what influenced  the  arrangement  and  treatment  of  subjects 
and  the  style  of  writing,  and  may  explain  passages  that  will 
seem  peculiar  in  an  historical  sketch. 

As  it  is  the  account  of  facts  that  was  designed,  and  not 
the  discussion  of  a  theme,  no  hesitation  has  been  felt  in 
taking  them  wherever  they  might  be  found,  and  to  avoid 
an  encumbering  of  the  sheets,  the  naming  of  sources  of  in- 
formation has  been  omitted,  and  even  language  sometimes 
quoted  without  an  acknowledgment,  or  a  liberty  taken  with 
it  that  did  not  change  its  sense. 

The  space  devoted  to  Revivals  will  be  observed.  It  is 
not  disproportionate  to  the  relative  importance  of  the  sub- 
ject, and  if  any  was  given  to  it,  it  would  have  been  difficult 
to  limit  it  to  less.  As  it  is,  but  a  tithe  is  occupied  of  what 
could  have  been  easily  filled,  and  numerous  regrets,  if  not 
complaints,  at  omissions  are  likely  to  be  heard.  Being 
M  all  the  workings  of  one  and  the  self-same  Spirit.'*  there 
must  be  a  similarity  in  the  descriptions  of  them,  and  truth- 
fulness of  statement  has  been  deemed  of  more  consequence 
than  variety. 

Mistake  and  oversight  are  unavoidable  in  a  compilation 
of  chronicles.       Time   and  pains   have  been    taken    to   shun 

them  in  the  present  case,  but  in  the  absence  largely  of 

ssible   data,    and    for   other    reasons,    they    must    have 


VI.  INTRODUCTORY. 

frequently  occurred,  and  the  charitable  consideration  is  in- 
voked that  bears  human  fallibility  in  mind. 

Too  much  is  due  to  the  courtesy  and  patience  of  Stated 
Clerks  to  be  passed  in  entire  silence,  and  the  wish  has  often 
been  felt  that  as  favorable  an  opportunity  could  be  widely 
enjoyed  to  appreciate  the  value  of  the  services  they  per- 
form and  the  onerousness  of  the  tax  they  bear. 

The  importance  of  ecclesiastical  records  has  also  come  to 
view,  and  the  duty  of  having  them  properly  kept,  and  the 
occasion  might  be  used  to  bring  this  to  the  notice  of  Presby- 
teries and  Synods.  Let  it  be  suggested  that  these  bodies 
should  often  and  carefully  inspect  their  books,  and  not 
merely  listen  to  the  minutes  of  "  last"  meetings,  and  that 
legibility,  orderliness  and  neatness  in  them  should  be  insisted 
<>n.  All  statistical  reports  and  narratives  of  religion  ought 
to  be  fully  transcribed,  and  for  facility  in  examining  the 
books,  they  should  be  paged,  and  every  page  dated,  and 
the  titles  of  subjects  entered  on  the  margin,  and  every 
volume  should  contain  an  index.  They  are  not  faithful 
records  if  papers  passed  upon  are  left  out.  The  "  file"'  saves 
labor  at  the  expense  of  history.  The  narratives  are  pre- 
sumed to  be  annual  accounts  of  the  state  of  religion  in  the 
several  churches,  and  should  describe  it  in  detail  and  not  in 
general.  A  stated  annalist  would  be  an  appropriate  officer 
for  every  Synod  and  Presbytery.  The  Stated  Clerk  ought 
to  be  modeled  after  him  of  our  General  Assembly.  The 
rue  gifts  requisite  to  his  place  and  the  amount  of  work 
involved  in  it,  merit  a  liberal  salary.  Scarcely  less  is 
needful  in  the  drafting  of  minutes,  and  permanent  Record- 
ing Clerks  are  desirable  in  our  lower  Judicatories  as  well  as 
in  the  highest. 

The  list  of  those  from  whom  information  has  been  receiv- 
ed is  too  long   for  publication,  but  Rev.  Albert  F.  Lyle  has 


INTRODUCTORY.  vil. 

so  much  lightened  the  task  of  copying,  that  it  is  both  a  duty 
and  a  pleasure  to  mention  him. 

An  expression  of  gratitude  may  be  allowed  for  the  kind- 
ness of  Providence  in  appointing  the  preparation  of  this 
sketch  for  a  season  when  it  served  somewhat  to  divert  the 
mind  of  the  writer  from  a  great  sorrow,  and  he  thanks  his 
brethren  of  the  Synod  of  Central  New  York  for  setting  him 
to  note  the  remarkable  and  even  wonderful  dealings  of  the 
Spirit  for  seventy  years  with  the  churches  of  his  chosen  and 
loved  denomination,  and  on  a  field  with  which  preaching 
and  prayer  have  associated  him  for  twenty-six  years  and  in 
which  he  feels  the  warmest  and  profoundest  interest.  May 
the  mantle  of  the  fathers  fall  upon  the  children,  and  in 
these  later  times  may  '-'the  light  of  the  sun  be  sevenfold,  as 
the  light  of  seven  days." 

Utica,  January,  1877. 


THE  SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YOKE 


Was  constituted  by  the  General  Assembly  at  its  session 
in  Philadelphia,  187<>.  under  the  general  reconstruction 
of  the  Judicatories  of  the  Church  after  the  reunion  of 
its  two  branches.  It  was  called  at  first  "  The  Synod  of 
Otica,"  but  by  the  unanimous  request  of  its  members 
in  1872.  it  received  its  present  name.  The  boundaries 
were  defined  as — East,  the  western  lines  of  Gr< 
Schoharie,  Montgomery,  Hamilton  and  Franklin  coun- 
ties; West,  the  western  lines  of  Tioga,  Cortland,  Onon- 
daga and  Oswego  counties;  South,  the  south  lines 
Tioga,  Broome  and  Delaware  counties;  and  North,  the 
State  line.  In  1872,  the  church  <>f  Waverly  was  con- 
veyed to  the  Synod  of  Geneva 


SYNODS,  OCCUPYING    THE   KIEL]),   WITH    II I II I :  SEVERAL 
DATES    AND    BOUNDS. 

The  Synod  of  New  York  "  New  Side,"  formed  in 
1741.  first  covered  the  field,  and  more  than  nominally 
too,  for  in  L765,  one  of  its  Presbyteries,  "the  Dutc 
county,"  received  Cherry  Valley,  one  of  our  churches, 
under  its  care.     To  thia  succeeded  the  Synod  of  New 

York  and  N«'\\  Jersey,  formed  in  17s-»,  at  the  reor- 
ganization of  the  church  on  the  Reunion  of  the  "Old 
and  New  Sides." 


6  ntESBYTEIUANISM  IN  THE 

The  Synod  of  Albany  followed  in  1803,  and  assumed 
a  busy  superintendence. 

The  Synod  of  Geneva,  formed  in  1812,  included 
Delaware,  Chenango,  Tioga,  Broome,  Cortland  and  On- 
ondaga counties,  now  lying  within  the  Synod  of  Cen- 
tral New  York.  In  1840,  Delaware  county  was  con- 
veyed back  to  the  Synod  of  Albany. 

The  Synod  of  Utica,  formed  in  1829,  included  the 
remaining  counties  within  the  Synod  of  Albany  west 
of  Greene,  Delaware,  Schoharie,  Fulton,  Hamilton  and 
Franklin. 

In  1853,  Delaware,  Otsego  and  Chenango  counties, 
were  taken  from  the  Synods  of  Albany,  Utica,  and  Ge- 
neva, and  committed  to  the  new  Synod  of  Susquehan- 
nah. 

In  1855,  the  remaining  counties  within  the  Synod  of 
Geneva  and  the  county  of  Cayuga  were  made  the  ter- 
ritory of  the  new  Synod  of  Onondaga. 

After  the  "  disruption"'  in  1837,  the  O.  S.  Synod  of 
Albany  was  extended  to  the  limits  of  the  original  Synod 
of  Albany,  and  in  18-13  it  gave  up  "Western  New 
York"  to  the  new  Svnod  of  Buffalo. 


PRESBYTERIES   WITHIN  THE  FIELD   AT   DIFFERENT 

DATES,    AND   THETR   BOUNDS. 

The  ''Presbytery  of  Dutchess  county,"  formed  in 
17(33,  was  probably  the  first  Presbytery  on  the  field, 
though  possibly,  as  the  members  cf  the  church  of  Cher- 
ry Valley  came  originally  in  a  body  from  New  Hamp- 
shire in  1741,  they  may  have  been  connected  with  the 
Presbytery  of  Londonderry,   founded  in  that  year. 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  I 

The  Presbytery  of  Albany,  1791,  followed,  and  suc- 
ceeding this,  in  1803,  was  the  Presbytery  of  Oneida,  to 
which  was  assigned  the  entire  State  west  of  the  east 
lines  of  Otsego  and  Herkimer  counties.  The  Presby- 
tery of  Geneva  in  1805,  took  the  portion  of  this  terri- 
tory west  of  Oswego  and  Oneida  and  south  of  Madison 
and  Otsego  counties,  comprehending  Onondaga,  Cort- 
land, Tioga,  Broome,  Chenango  and  Delaware  counties,  * 
of  the  territory  of  this  Synod. 

In  1810,  a  joint  petition  from  the  Presbytery  of  Gene- 
va and  the  "Middle  Association  "  was  presented  to  the 
Synod  of  Albany,  praying  that  those  two  bodies  might 
be  organized  into  three  Presbyteries,  with  a  view  to 
their  constituting  the  Synod  of  Geneva,  and  the  Pres- 
bytery of  Onondaga  was  then  erected,  with  the  counties 
of  Onondaga,  Cortland,  Tioga,  Broome,  Chenango  and 
Delaware  as  its  territory. 

In  1810,  the  Presbytery  of  St,  Lawrence  was 
formed  for  the  counties  of  Lewis  and  Jefferson,  and  the 
part  of  St  Lawrence  county  not  within  the  bounds  of 
tin-  Presbytery  of  Chaniplain.  The  name  of  this  Pres- 
byter}  was  changed  toWatertown  in  L828. 

In  L 81 9,  the  Presbytery  of  Oneida  was  divided  at  its 
own  request,  and  the  portion  of  its  field  "  lying  in  and 
south  of  the  great  Western  Turnpike  running  through 
Springfield,"  consisting  of  Otsego  county  and  a  part  of 

Madison,  was  se1  off  for  the  new  Presbytery  of  Otsego. 
In  L821,  the  portion  of  St.  Lawrence  county  before 
occupied  by  the  Presbytery  of  Champlain  and  apart 
from  that  occupied  by  the  Presbytery  ^^  St.  Lawrence, 
was  made  the  territory  of  the  new  Presbyterj  ofOg- 
densburg.  The  name  of  this  Presbyter)  was  changed 
in  I  830  i<»  Si.  Lawrence. 


8  PRESBTTERIANISM  IN  THE 

In  1823,  the  Presbytery  of  Oswego  was  formed  for 
Oswego  county  and  for  the  portion  of  Oneida  county 
west  of  the  west  branch  of  Fish  Creek. 

In  1825,  the  Presbytery  of  Cortland  was  established 
for  Cortland  county  and  for  the  southern  portions  of 
Onondaga  and  Madison  counties. 

In  1825  the  General  Assembly  constituted  the  Pres- 
"bytery  of  Chenango,  in  Chenango  and  Delaware  coun- 
ties and  a  part  of  Broome,  the  General  Assembly  per- 
forming the  act  because  the  ministers  and  churches  be- 
longed to  three  different  Synods. 

In  1829,  the  counties  of  Broome  and  Tioga  and  the 
southern  part  of  Tompkins  county  were  taken  from  the 
Presbytery  of  Geneva  and  committed  to  the  new  Pres- 
bytery of  Tioga. 

In  1831,  the  greater  part  of  Delaware  county  was 
taken  from  the  Presbytery  of  Chenango  for  the  field  of 
the  new  Presbytery  of  Delaware. 

At  the  disruption  of  1838,  the  O.  S.  ministers  and 
churches  of  the  Presbytery  of  St.  Lawrence  were  organ- 
ized into  the  Presbytery  of  Ogdensburg,  occupying  the 
same  field  with  the  Presbytery  from  which  they  sepa- 
rated, and  at  the  same  time  the  0.  S.  Presbytery  of  Al- 
bany extended  its  territory  to  the  western  boundary  of 
the  State. 

In  January,  1843,  the  Presbytery  of  Oneida  was  di- 
vided, the  western  part  of  Oneida  county  being  reserved 
for  that  Presbytery,  and  the  eastern  part  being  assigned 
to  the  new  Presbytery  of  Utica,  and  in  October  of  the 
same  year,  the  ministers  and  churches  of  the  Presby- 
tery of  Oneida  were  attached  to  the  Presbytery  of  Utica 
and  the  territory  of  the  former  conveyed  to  the  latter. 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  9 

The  venerable  name  of  Oneida  was  thus  almost  sacri- 
ligiously  erased  from  the  roll  of  Presbyteries. 

In  1850,  the  Presbytery  of  Mohawk,  0  S.,  was  or- 
ganized, having  as  its  eastern  boundary  a  north  and  south 
line  running  immediately  east  of  Little  Falls. 

At  the  reconstruction  of  the  Judicatories  of  the 
Church  in  1870,  the  General  Assembly  directed  that 
the  Presbyteries  should  be  defined  "  by  geographical 
lines,  or  by  convenient  lines  of  travel,"  and  that  they 
should  "  be  enlarged  and  the  formation  of  small  ones 
be  discouraged." 

The  Synod  of  Central  New  York  then  constituted 
the  following  five  Presbyteries  : 

1.  Watertown,  embracing  the  counties  of  St.  Law 
rence  and  Jefferson.  The  name  of  this  Presbyters'  was 
soon  changed  to  St.  Lawrence,  and  this  was  declared  to 
be  the  successor  of  the  Presbyteries  of  St,  Lawrence, 
Ogdensburg  and  Watertown,  and  their  records  were 
ordered  to  be  delivered  to  it. 

2.  Syracuse,  embracing  the  counties  of  Oswego,  On- 
ondaga and  Madison,  with  the  exceptions  of  the  towns 
of  Oneida  and  DeRuyter,  in  Madison  county,  and  the 
town  of  Williatnstown  in  Oswego  county,  and  subse- 
quently the  town  of  Redfield,  in  Oswego  county,  and 
it  was  declared  to  be  the  successor  of  the  Presbyteries 

of  Onondaga,  Oswego   and    Mohawk,   and    their    hooks 

were  ordered  to  be  delivered  to  it. 

3.  Binghamton,  embracing  the  counties  of  Cortland, 
Tiogaand  Broome,  the  towns  of  Smithville,  Coventry 
and  Bainbridge,  in  Chenango  county,  and  the  towns  ^\ 
Tompkins  and  Masonville,  in  Delaware  county,  and  the 
town  of  DeRuyter  in   Madison  county,  and   "  was  de- 


1 0  PRESB  TTERIANI8M  IN  THE 

elared  the  successor  to  Tioga  and  Cortland  Presbyteries, 
to  which  their  books  were  to  be  delivered.  "Afton  " 
was  subsequently  introduced  after  "  Coventry  "  in  the 
bounds  of  this  Presbytery,  and  Waverly  was  removed 
to  the  Presbytery  of  Chemung. 

4.  Otsego,  embracing  Otsego,  Delaware  and  Chenan- 
go counties,  exclusive  of  the  towns  of  Tompkins  and 
Mnsonville,  in  Delaware  county,  and  the  towns  of  Smith- 
ville,  Greene,  Coventry,  Afton  and  Bainbridge,  in  Che- 
nango county,  and  it  was  declared  the  successor  of  the 
Presbyteries  of  Otsego,  Delaware  and  Chenango,  to 
which  their  books  were  to  be  delivered. 

5.  Utica,  embracing  the  counties  of  Oneida,  Herki- 
mer and  Lewis,  and  also  Oneida,  in  Madison  county, 
and  Williamstown,  in  Oswego  county,  and  subsequent- 
ly Redfield,  in  Oswego  county,  and  it  was  declared  the 
successor  of  the  Presbytery  of  Utica. 

CONGREGATIONAL  BODIES  ON  THE  FIELD  OF  THE  SYNOD. 

The  work  of  Presbyterianism  and  Congregationalism 
was  so  largely  cooperative  for  most  of  the  history  of 
Presbyterianism  in  Central  New  York,  that  a  frequent 
reference  to  Congregational  Associations  must  occur  in 
the  recital  of  it,  and  reported  circumstances  may  be 
more  intelligible  if  the  seat  and  name  of  these  bodies, 
on  the  territory  of  the  Synod,  is  given  here. 

The  St.  Lawrence  Consociation  and  the  Black  River 
Association,  established  in  1810,  occupied  Northern 
New  York. 

The  Oneida  Association,  established  in  1800,  occu- 
pied the  eastern  and  central  part  of  the  territory  of  the 
Synod,  extending  down  originally  to  its  southern  part* 


SYNOt)  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  11 

The  Union  Association,  taken  in  1808  from  the 
Oneida,  occupied  Chenango  county  and  considerable 
portions  of  Madison,  Broome  and  Otsego  counties,  and 
the  Association  of  Susquehannah,  established  in  1803, 
occupied  the  southern  pa4*t  of  the  territory  of  the 
Synod.  The  Union  Association*  was  dissolved  by  its 
own  vote  in  1822,  and  its  ministers  and  churches  largely 
composed  the  Presbytery  of  Chenango. 

The  Middle  Association  on  the  "Military  Tract  and 
its  vicinity,"  established  in  1804,  occupied  the  western 
part  of  the  territory  of  the  Synod.  This  Association, 
as  already  stated,  in  1810  united  with  the  Presbytery 
of  Geneva  in  asking  the  Synod  of  Albany  to  organize 
them  into  three  Presbyteries,  and  thenceforward  was 
substantially  merged  in  the  Presbytery  of  Onondaga, 

The  Association  of  Oneida  suspended  its  existence  in 
1822,  most  of  its  ministers  and  churches  uniting  with 
the  Presbytery  of  Oneida.  It  was  revived  in  1825,  and 
has  since  maintained  a  vigorous  life. 

The  Associations  now  on  the  field  consist  of  the  Black 
River  and  Oneida,  already  named ;  the  Welsh,  estab- 
lished in  1834  for  the  whole  State;  the  Central,  1868, 
in  which  were  merged  the  Delaware,  established  1^58, 
and  the  Oswego,  established  L868,  and  covering  Dela- 
ware, Oswego,  Jefferson,  Onondaga,  Cortland  and 
Tompkins  counties;  and  the  Chenango,  18(W,  covering 
Chenango  county,  and  merged  in  the  Oneida,  1871. 


*  Although  tho  Union  Association  dissolved  Itself  bya  formal 
vote  in  1822,  some  of  its  membera  attempted  to  keep  it  iip,  bat 
their  numbers  dwindling,  they  loft  it  to  expire. 


1 2  / '/.'  K8B  YTERlA  NISM  IK  THE 

11  ASSOCIATED  PRESBYTERIES." 

Mention  is  also  frequently  made  in  the  history  of 
Missions  on  this  field  of  the  "Associated  Presbyteries." 
They  were  Presbyterian  in  form,  but  Congregational  in 
tone.  They  discarded  authority  in  ecclesiastical  action. 
They  would  not  "direct,"  but  "suggest  and  advise." 
They  originated  with  Eev.  Jacob  Green,  father  of  Dr. 
Ashbel  Green.  A  native  of  Maiden,  Mass.,  and  a 
graduate  of  Harvard,  he  was  pastor  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church  in  Hanover,  K  J.,  from  1746  to  1790.  '  After 
spending  thirty  years  in  our  ministry,  he  withdrew, 
from  dissatisfaction,  not  with  his  brethren  or  their  doc- 
trines, but  with  the  mandatory  style  of  their  proceed- 
ings— "appointing  ministers  to  different  services," 
"ordering"  collections  from  the  people,  while  the 
Westminster  Confession  was  "enjoined"  upon  all  min- 
isters, "without  any  liberty  for  explanation  in  any 
article."  He  retained  kind  feeling  throughout,  which 
was  also  reciprocated.  Three  other  ministers  withdrew 
with  him.  In  twenty  years  they  had  following  enough 
to  constitute  four  Presbyteries,  three  of  them  in  this 
State,  the  Northern  Associated  Presbytery,  with  its 
seat  in  Columbia  county  and  northward  of  it,  furnish- 
ing most  of  the  missionaries  from  the  body.  Among 
these  was  David  Harrower,  a  popular  Scotch  preacher 
in  his  prime,  and  commissioned  for  Broome,  Chenango 
and  Delaware  counties,  but  borne  everywhere  by  his 
activities. 


8  )  \  oh  of  (KM  i;al  new  rank'.  18 

THE  PHYSICAL  FEATURES  OF  THE  FTELD. 

The  field  of  the  Synod  is  notable  for  its  beauty,  its 
fertility,  its  facilities  for  manufactures  and  commerce, 
its  geological  formation  and  evolutions,  its  topography, 
its  relative  position,  and  its  history. 

It  is  an  immense  picture  made  up  of  every  variety  of 
scenery — the  solitudes  of  the  northeast,  the  magnifi- 
cence of  the  St.  Lawrence,  the  mountainous  and  twisted, 
but  cultivated  and  beautiful  hills  and  romantic  ravines 
and  waterfalls  of  the  north,  the  gracefully  rolling  ridges 
of  the  center  and  the  west,  the  charming  valleys  of  the 
Mohawk,  the  Delaware  and  the  Susquehanna!)  and 
their  tributaries  at  the  east  and  southeast,  with  count- 
creeks,  like  veins  of  silver,  branching  through  the 
whole,  and  lakes  and  lakelets  gemming  it.  And  as 
we  look  on  our  fields  and  see  their  fruits  and  crops, 
and  luxuriate  upon  them,  does  it  not  seem  as  if  the 
Lord  had  said.  "Thy  dwelling  shall  be  the  fatness  of 
earth."  And  these  numerous  streams,  what  motors  of 
machinery  they  are!  and  these  rivers  and  inland  - 

what  channels  of  trade  they  are!      The   little  Sauquoit 

has  been  reputed  to  turn  more  wheels  than  any  other 
water,  U>v  the  same  distance,  in  the  country,  and  it  has 
a  reserve  power  for  as  many  more.     The  Delaware,  the 

Susquehanna!)   and    the  St   Lawrence    head  in  this  dia 

triet.  and  the  Budson  near  by,  and  flowing  through  a 
large   section    of    the  Union   and    emptying   into  the 

Atlantic    at    OUT   easl    and    southeast  ami    at    the  north, 

they  give  us  water  communication  with  our  three  great 
commercial  emporiums  and  Canada,  and  with  the  large 
Intervening  region  and  the  numerous  intervening  cities 


1 4  PliESB  YTERIA  NISM  IN  THE 

and  towns.  In  early  days,  rafts  and  flat-boats  served 
for  navigation  in  them,  and  their  banks  are  the  canal 
beds  and  the  railway  tracks  for  later  days.  The  Apa- 
lachian  barrier  separating  the  East  from  the  West, 
makes  an  opening  at  the  Highlands  on  the  Hudson, 
and  proceeding  up  that  river  to  Lakes  George  and 
Champ]  ain,  the  passage  enters  the  chain  of  lakes  which 
leads  to  the  West,  and  at  the  junction  of  the  Mohawk 
with  the  Hudson  a  second  passage  runs  west,  piercing 
the  mountains  again  at  Little  Falls,  so  narrowing  down 
to  the  territory  of  this  Synod  the  only  two  natural 
highways  of  our  international  transport  and  travel,  and 
forming  one  of  the  only  two  gateways  to  Canada.* 


*Long  prior  to  the  construction  of  the  Erie  Canal,  a  project 
was  much  agitated  and  a  company  formed  to  cut  a  navigable 
channel  by  Wood  Creek,  which  empties  into  Lake  Oneida,  and 
Fish  Creek,  wrfyfk,-fipy$p44**\  Lake  Ontario,  to  the  Mohawk  at 
Rome,  and  to  make  the  Mohawk  navigable  to  the  Hudson.  Gen. 
Washington  was  originally  an  engineer,  and  impressed  with  the 
importance  to  the  whole  country  of  such  a  connection,  he  visited 
our  part  of  the  State  at  the  close  of  the  Revolution,  and  made  a 
personal  inspection  of  the  ground.  He  wrote  to  the  Marquis  of 
Chastellax,  "I  have  lately  made  a  tour  through  the  LakesUeorge 
and  Champlain  as  far  as  Crown  Point.  Then  returning  to  Sche- 
nectady, I  proceeded  up  the  Mohawk  River  to  Fort  Schuyler,  (this 
name,  previously  belonging  to  the  fort  at  Utica,  had  then  been 
given  to  the  fort  at  Rome,)  crossed  over  to  Wood  Creek,  which 
empties  into  Oneida  Lake,  and  affords  the  water  communication 
with  Ontario.  I  then  traversed  the  country  to  the  eastern  bank 
of  the  Susquehaunah,  and  viewed  the  Lake  Otsego  and  the  port- 
age between  that  lake  and  the  Mohawk  River  at  Canajoharie. 
Prompted  by  these  actual  observations,  I  could  not  he!})  taking 
a  more  contemplative  and  extensive  view  of  the  vast  inland  navi- 
gation of  the  United  States,  and  could  not  but  be  struck  with  the 
immense  diffusion   and  importance  of  it,  and  with  the  goodness 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  15 

Beds  of  iron,  the  most  useful  of  metals,  and  beds  of 
tin  abound  in  the  northern  and  central  parts  of  the 
field,  while  the  salt  wells  of  Onondaga  county  are  from 
L50  to  350  feet  deep,  and  a  bushel  of  salt  is  the  residuum 
on  the  evaporation  of  from  35  to  45  gallons  of  their  water, 
while  it  takes  350  gallons  of  sea  water  to  yield  as  much, 
and  *"  Geology  tells  us,"  to  use  the  language  of  General 
Viele,  speaking  of  this  and  the  contiguous  region  of 
the  State,  "  that  of  all  the  land  now  in  existence,  the 
first  that  rose  above  the  waste  of  waters  in  the  earliest 
periods  of  creation  lies  within  these  borders ;  that  long 
ere  the  crags  of  Jura,  the  heights  of  Chimborazo,  or  the 
lofty  Cordilleras  were  created,  the  sun  shone  here  upon 
tlic  shores  of  a  vast  ocean  whose  limits  were  the  globe 
itself;  that  while  yet  the  sites  of  Babylon  and  of  Tyre, 
of  Carthage  and  of  Rome,  were  hidden  beneath  the  sea, 
created  Life  moved  along  the  old  Silurian  beach,  whose 
tidal  lines  across  the  State  are  as  distinctly  marked  to- 
day   as   they    were    when    the   waves    of    the    primitive 

ocean  l»eat  upon  the  shore.  The  successive  geological 
evolutions  which  nave  been  wroughl  out  during  the 
long  ages  that  since  thru  have  come  and  gone,  are  In- 
scribed upon  these  mountains,  hills  and  valleys  as  upon 
the  pages  of  a  hook,  where  science  reads  the  history  of 
the  material  world.     On  no  other  contmenl  and   in  no 


of  that  Providence  who  has  dealt  his  favors  t<>  us  with  so  profuse 
a  band.  Would  to  God  we  bave  wisdom  enough  to  Improve 
them. I'll.'  Father  of  hie  Country  "  was  a  good  judge  of  land 

and  very  provident,  and  what  be  suv  during  this  tour  so  capti- 
vated him  that,  jointly  with  Governor  George  Clinton,  in-  bought 

several  plots  of   land  in  Oneida  county. 

*  Address  before  New  York  Historical  Society, 


16  PRESBTTERIANISM  IN  THE 

other  spot  are  the  records  of  the  past  so  clearly  defined, 
or  so  easily  read."  "Formed  in  the  ocean-bed  from 
the  ruins  of  a  wasted  continent  and  of  a  succession  of 
deposits  during  alternate  periods  of  elevation  and  sub- 
sidence, the  whole  series  of  stratified  rock  that  under- 
lies this  portion  of  the  State,  from  the  magnesian  base 
of  the  lower  Silurian  to  the  time-worn  cliffs  of  red 
sandstone  that  crown  the  highest  peaks  of  the  Catskill 
mountains,  tell,  in  unspeakable  language,  the  history  of 
the  material  world  through  unnumbered  ages  of  time. 
These  several  formations  have  a  general  geological 
designation  as  the  lower  and  upper  Silurian  and  De- 
vonian systems,  while  the  more  detailed  divisions,  em- 
bracing many  successive  and  distinct  epochs  of  creation, 
have  received  a  nomenclature  in  accordance  with  the 
localities  where  they  are  most  clearly  shown.  There 
are  twelve  of  these  divisions,  having  an  entire  thick- 
ness in  the  State  of  13,000  feet."  "In  consequence  of 
the  deep  erosion  of  the  river- valleys,  all  of  the  geologi 
cal  formations  are  exhibited  to  view  in  one  place  or 
another." 


ABORIGINAL   OCCUPANTS  OF  THE  FIELD. 

A  remarkable  confederacy  of  Indians  held  possession 
of  the  territory  when  it  was  first  entered  by  the  whites. 
They  were  called  by  the  English  the  Five  Nations,  the 
Six  Nations,  the  Confederates ;  by  the  French,  the  Iro- 
quois; by  the  Dutch,  the  Maquas,  or  Mahakuasse  ;  by 
the  southern  Indians,  the  Massawomacs ;  by  themselves, 
the  Mingos,  or  Mingoians,  and  sometimes  the  Aganus- 
chim,  or  United  People ;    and  their  confederacy  they 


SYNOD  OF  VENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  1  7 

styled  the  Kenunctioni.  They  consisted  at  first  of  Five 
Nations:  the  Mohawks,  with  their  center  at  the  junc- 
tion of  the  Schoharie  Creek  with  the  Mohawk;  the 
Oneidas,  with  their  center  at  Oneida  Lake ;  the  Onon- 
<  1 1 1 gj is,  with  tl  icir  center  at  Onondaga  Lake ;  the  Cay ugas, 
with  their  center  near  Cayuga  Lake,  and  the  Senecas, 
with  their  center  on  Genesee  River.  In  1712,  they 
adopted  the  Tuscaroras,  and  settled  them  between  the 
Oneidas  and  the  Cay  ugas.  The  Mohawks  were  pre- 
eminently the  fighting  tribe,  and  so  took  the  precedence. 
They  kept  the  eastern  gate  of  the  territory,  and  being 
nearest  to  the  whites,  were  best  known  to  them,  and 
these  often  gave  their  name  to  the  whole  confederacy. 
The  Oneidas  were  distinguished  for  their  wisdom  and 
eloquence,  and  the  Onondagas  had  the  seat,  or  capital, 
where  the  general  congress  was  held.  These  people 
were  born  to  command,  and  carried  their  conquests 
into  Canada,  and,  as  one  writer  affirms,  down  to  the 
Isthmus  of  Darien,  and  Cotton  Mather  charges  them 
with  the  slaughter  of  not  less  than  2,000,000  of  their 
fellow  savages.  They  were  intelligent  and  shrewd,  as 
well  as  martial,  and  their  military  operations  especially 
were  deliberately  and  skillfully  planned.  They  were 
crafty,  too,  ever  preferring  ambuscades  and  surprises  to 
fair  and  open  battle.  "Their  councils,"  says  Governor 
De Witt  Clinton,  "were  distinguished  for  order,  deco- 
rum and  solemnity.  In  eloquence,  in  dignity,  and  in 
all  the  characteristics  of  profound  policy,  they  surpac 

any  assembly  of   feudal    barons,  and    perhaps   were    not 

inferior  to  the  greal  A.mphyctionic  Council  of  Greece." 
Sir  William  Johnson,  who  lived  among  them  bo  long 

and    knew  them   BO  well.  3! 


1 8  PRESB  YTERIA  NISM  IX  THE 

conducted  with  extraordinary  regularity  and  decorum. 
They  never  interrupt  oue  who  is  speaking,  nor  use 
harsh  language,  whatever  may  be  the  provocation." 
And  Governor  Seymour  has  said,  "I  have  heard  from 
the  chiefs  of  the  Five  Nations  as  clear,  strong  and  dig- 
nified addresses  as  any  I  have  listened  to  in  legislative 
halls  or  at  the  bar  of  our  judicial  tribunals."  Red 
Jacket  indeed  is  worthy  of  a  place  with  Demosthenes 
and  Cicero,  and  Skenandoa's  speeches  keep  up  their 
echoes  like  Webster's.  Though  the  men  disdained 
labor,  so  well  did  the  women  perform  their  part  in  the 
held,  as  well  as  their  own  at  home,  that  Colonel  Ganse- 
vort,  who  was  sent  on  an  expedition  against  the  Mo- 
hawks during  the  Revolution,  describes  them  as  "living 
much  better  than  their  neighbors,  the  white  farmers, 
their  houses  being  well  filled  with  all  necessary  house- 
hold utensils,  and  they  owning  great  plenty  of  grain, 
horses,  cows  and  wagons." 

Though  worthy  of  being  called  "the  Romans  of  this 
western  world,"  they  were  not  superior  in  character  to 
other  Indians,  much  as  they  might  have  surpassed  them 
in  ability.  Governor  Clinton  summarily  describes 
them  as  having  "the  cunning  of  the  fox,  the  ferocity 
of  the  tiger,  and  the  power  of  the  lion."  Their  num- 
bers were  probably  exaggerated,  though  there  is  so 
much  inconsistency  in  authoritative  estimates  of  them, 
that  Lt  is  impossible  to  be  sure  of  the  right  count  The 
Missionary  Kirkland,  on  whom  it  might  be  supposed 
we  could  rely,  reckoned  them  at  6,332  in  1790.  An 
United  Stales  census  taken  in  1794,  for  the  purpose  of 
distributing  an  annuity  among  them,  returned  only 
3,298   here  and   760  in  Canada.      Sir  William  Johnson 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  19 

puts  them  at  only  2.000,  and  other  competent  judges 
as  high  at  their  highest  as  15,000,  and  the  most  recent 
census  of  Canada  and  the  United  States  sets  them  at 
13,000.  But  439  remain  on  this  field,  and  what  a  con- 
trast they  present  to  their  proud,  daring,  domineering 
and  all-conquering  fathers,  and  how  crest-fallen  and 
abject  they  appear,  and  as  we  occasionally  meet  some  of 
them  in  mean  dress  and  with   spiritL  peddling 

petty  wares,  how  all  fear  of  them  is  Lost  in  pity,  and 
how  retributive  or  inscrutable  seem  the  dealings 
Providence  with  them,  and  how  trying  to  faith  is  the 
work  of  their  Christianization  and  civilization,  or  even 
of  their  rescue  from  extinction.  Bat  neither  humanity 
nor  religion  permits  us  to  intermit  our  labor  for  them. 
We  will  do  our  utmost,  and  leave  it  to  God  to  deter- 
mine the  result. 

In  1760  remnants  of  several  tribes,  called  collectively 
the  Brothertown  Indians,  from  New  Jersey  and  Long 
Island,  were  settled  in  what  is  now  the  town  of  Mar- 
shall, in  Oneida  county,  and  in  1783,  1735  and  L788 
three  successive  panics  of  the  Stockbridge  or  Bousa- 
tonic  Indian-,  among  whom  John  Sergeant,  Sr.,  and 
Jonathan  Edwards,  Sr.,  served  as  missionaries,  removed 
from  Berkshire  county,  Mass.,  and  settled  al  UN< 
Stockbridge,"  on  lands  assigned  to  them  bytheOneidas 
before  the  Revolution,  and  John  Sergeant,  Jr..  came  ;l> 
b  missionary  to  them  in  their  new  home. 

MISSIONS    AMONG    THE    INDIANS. 

Missions  among  the  Indians  on  this  field  vie  with  the 
Crusades  in  heroism,     Prosecuted  in  an  unnoticed  land. 


2 1  >  PR  ESB  YTER1A  NISM  IN  THE 

and  in  the  depths  of  the  wilderness,  at  the  sacrifice  of 
every  comfort  common  to  civilization,  and  at  every  des- 
cription of  expense  to  sensibility  and  taste,  and  in  per- 
petual peril  of  life,  no  motive  remained  to  the  Mission- 
ary but  the  evangelization  he  sought 

ROMAN   CATHOLIC   MISSIONS. 

The  Roman  Catholics  performed  a  large  part  of  this 
work.  The  names  of  twenty-four  Jesuits  and  of  two  Sul- 
pitians  frequently  occur  in  the  history  of  the  region  for 
a  space  of  more  than  an  hundred  years,  commencing 
with  1625.  They  adopted  the  dress  and  habits  of  liv- 
ing of  the  Indians  and  accompanied  them  in  hunting 
and  fishing  and  in  martial  expeditions,  and  attached 
themselves  to  every  Nation  of  the  Confederacy,  and  es- 
tablished missions  in  them.  Some  of  them  were  Fran- 
cis Xaviers  in  their  ability  and  zeal.  The  Due  de  Vanta- 
dour  retired  from  court  and  took  sacred  orders.  In 
1623,  he  obtained  the  Viceroyship  of  "  New  France," 
not  from  ambition  or  patriotism,  but  to  convert  the  In- 
dians. The  Albe  Picquet,  who  founded  Fort  Presen- 
tation at  Ogdensburg  in  1748,  compares  well  with  the 
ablest  of  statesmen,  but  subordinated  everything  to  his 
vocation  as  a  Sulpitian  and  manifested  talent,  energy, 
devotedness  and  singleness  and  disinterestedness  of  pur- 
pose which  entitle  him  to  the  highest  rank  among  re- 
ligious Apostles. 

PROTESTANT    MISSIONS. 

Though  Protestant  Missions  among  the  Six  Nations 
did  not  reach  anything  like  the  scale  of  the  Roman 


8YN0D  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  21 

Catholics  and  were  not  begun  as  early  nor  conducted 
with  anything  of  their  system  and  persistency,  they 
were  by  no  means  neglected,  and  some  of  the  Mission- 
aries won  a  character  and  performed  a  part  which  makes 
them  conspicuous  in  the  records  of  evangelization.  In 
1700,  the  Earl  of  Belemont,  then  Governor  of  New 
York,  memorialized  the  Home  Government  to  send 
'some  Ministers  of  the  Church  of  England  to  instruct 
the  Five  Nations  of  Indians  and  to  prevent  their  being 
practiced  upon  by  the  French  Priests  and  Jesuits."  The 
petition  was  approved  and  the  Archbishop  of  Canter- 
bury was  instructed  to  provide  for  sending  out  two  Mis- 
sionaries. The  then  reigning  sovereign,  Queen  Anne, 
became  much  interested  in  the  undertaking  and  pro- 
posed to  build  a  church  for  each  of  the  confederate 
tribes.  The  one  lor  the  Mohawks  alone,  however,  was 
actually  put  up,  and  that  stood  at  Fort  Hunter  until 
L820,  when  it  was  torn  down  to  make  way  for  the  Erie 
canal  A  glebe  of  300  acres  was  attached  to  the  church, 
and  the  parsonage,  an  antiquated  building,  two  stories 
high  with  square  roof,  still  stands,  about  half  a  mile  be- 
Low  Schoharie 

The  Dutch  attempted  little  or  nothing  in  the  conduct 
of  missions.  One  writer  says,  "Theclergy  at  the  Man- 
hatans  succeeded  in  teaching  one  young  savage  the 
prayers,  so  that  he  could  repeat  the  responses  In  church 
and  also  read  and  write  well.  He  was  then  furnished 
with  a  bible  and  Ben1  to  evangelize  the  heathen,  but 
la- pawned  the  book  for  brandy,  became  a  thorough 
beasl  and  did  more  harm  than  good." 

The  New  Fork  State  Government  did  no  more  than 
pay  a  salan  forsome  time  to  the  clergymen  at  Albany 


22  PRESBYTERIANISM  IN  THE 

and  Schenectady  to  officiate  for  the  Indians,  as  their 
duties  at  home  and  their  inclinations  permitted.  The 
arrangement  effected  little  more  than  to  put  a  small  sum 
into  the  purses  of  these  clergymen.  The  Kev.  Mr. 
Freeman,  of  Schenectady,  translated  portions  of  the 
Scriptures  and  prayer  book  into  the  Mohawk  tongue. 
The  Eev.  Mr.  Andrews,  in  1710,  sent  out  by  the  En- 
glish "  Society  for  Propagating  the  Gospel,"  was  pro- 
vided with  every  facility  for  his  work,  but  after  six 
years  of  toil  and  disappointment,  he  begged  a  recall, 
saying,  "  There  is  no  hope  of  making  them  better. 
Heathen  they  are  and  Heathen  they  still  must  be." 

The  Moravians  are  a  Missionary  body,  every  com- 
municant, as  well  as  every  Minister,  being  committed 
to  carry  the  Gospel  wherever  the  Brotherhood  may  send 
him.  We  find  them,  of  course,  among  the  Indians.  In 
1751,  two  of  their  number  settled  among  the  Onon da- 
gas,  but  after  preparing  primary  school  books  and  juven- 
ile devotional  books  and  a  grammar  and  dictionary,  in 
a  few  years  their  enterprise  was  abandoned.  The  com- 
piler of  the  dictionary  remarks  that  few  languages  con- 
tain one  of  its  size,  and  that  if  this  is  filled  with  genuine 
Iroquois,  we  cannot  charge  its  vocabulary  with  pov- 
erty." 

Sir  William  Johnson  was  greatly  interested  in  the 
spiritual  welfare  of  the  people,  whom  he  kindly  treated 
as  his  wards,  and  made  it  the  theme  of  a  frequent  and 
protracted  correspondence  with  the  British  Government 
and  with  the  dignitaries  and  ministers  of  the  British 
church,  and  though  decidedly  an  Episcopalian,  he  was 
cordial  in  welcoming  Congregational  and  Presbyterian 
cooperation.     This  latter  began  in  1748,  when  Messrs. 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  23 

Spencer,  Chamberlain  and  Hawlev,  visited  successively 
the  tribes  on  the  Mohawk  and  Susquehannah.  A  quo- 
tation from  Mr.  Gideon  Ilawley's  journal  of  his  jour- 
neying from  the  Mohawk  to  Broome  county  in  1753, 
gives  us  some  idea  of  what  these  Missionaries  encoun- 
tered.  "  We  pursued  our  way,  one  after  another, 
through  bushes  and  sloughs,  water  and  mire.  At  dusk 
we  arrived  at  the  nearest  houses  between  Fort  Hunter 
and  Schoharry,  but  did  not  put  up  until  we  came  to  what 
was  accounted  a  public  house,  but  very  unfit  for  the 
entertainment  of  gentlemen  strangers.  It  had  only  one 
room.  In  that  room  was  what  is  called  a  slaw-bunk, 
with  a  straw  bed,  on  which  we  lodged.  This,  however, 
was  not  the  worst  of  it,  for  we  had  been  content  with 
coarse  fare  and  ill  accommodations,  in  ease  we  <'Ould 
have  had  quiet  rest,  but  the  unhappiness  of  our 
was  that  it  was  the  end  of  the  week  and  to  spend  their 
wages,  three  or  l<>ur  old  countrymen  came  in  and  gamed 
and  drank  through  the  night  within  a  foot  or  two  of 
our  bed.  We  remonstrated  and  complained,  but  in 
vain."  Holding  sen  ice  on  Sunday  at  the  Mohawk  vil- 
lage, Mr.  Hawley  and  bis  party  spenl  Monday,  as  he 
says,  'in  collecting  supplies  and  accessaries  for  our 
journey,  designing  the  next  day  to  plunge  into  that  im- 
mense wilderness  thai  lies  to  the  southward  and  . 
ward  of  as  and  inhabited  only  by  savages.  Tuesday, 
M.-i\  29th,  L753,  we  ascend  u  Bteep  mountain,  directing 
our  course  almost  west  It  was  generally  obstructed  by 
fallen  trees,  old  Logs,  miry  places,  pointed  rocks  and  en- 
tangling roota  We  were  alternatel)  on  the  ridge  of  a 
lofty  mountain  and  in  the  depths  of  a  valley.  At  best 
our  path  was  obscure,  and  we  nee. led  guides  to  go  be 


24  PRESli  YTERTA NISM  IN  THE 

fore  us.  Night  approaches.  We  halt  by  a  stream.  A 
fire  is  kindled.  The  kettles  are  filled,  and  we  refresh 
ourselves.  Adoring  the  Divine  Providence,  giving 
thanks  for  the  salvation  of  the  day,  and  committing  our- 
selves to  God  for  the  night,  with  the  starry  heavens 
above  me  and  the  earth  for  my  bed,  I  roll  myself  in  a 
blanket,  and  without  a  dream  to  disturb  my  repose, 
never  awake  until  the  eyelids  of  the  morning  are  opened 
and  the  penetrating  rays  of  the  sun  look  through  the 
surrounding  foliage,  when  we  arise,  and  again  address- 
ing Him  whose  constant  visitation  supports,  cheers  and 
refreshes  us,  we  invoke  His  protection,  direction  and 
blessing.  This  is  our  practice  through  the  journey. 
Our  enterprise  naturally  inspired  us  with  devotion  and 
the  august  and  stupendous  works  of  creation  inspired 
us  with  awe.     We  read  God's  name  in  capitals. 

"It  may  not  be  impertinent  to  observe  that  in  this 
wilderness  we  neither  hear  nor  see  any  birds  of  music. 
These  frequent  only  the  abodes  of  man.  There  is  one 
wood  bird  occasionally  heard,  but  in  his  note  no  melody 
sounds." 

"At  one  of  the  halts,"  says  Mr.  Hawley,  "our  young 
Indians  came  in  looking  as  terrible  and  ugly  as  they 
could,  having  their  faces  bedaubed  with  vermillion, 
lamp-black,  white  lead,  &c.  A  young  Indian  always 
carries  with  him  his  looking-glass  and  paint,  and  does  not 
consider  himself  dressed  until  he  has  adjusted  his  coun- 
tenance with  their  help. 

11 1  visited  from  house  to  house,  and  found  a  child  but 
just  alive.  I  prayed  with  it,  and  was  desired  to  baptize 
it,  but  excused  myself  by  the  plea  that  I  wasn't  or- 
dained.    The  Mohawks  are  fond  of  christening  their 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  25 

children,  and  all  of  these  on  the  Mohawk  Eiver  have 
received  it.     Indians  are  fond  of  rites  and  ceremonies. 

"  We  were  awaked  at  night  by  howlings  over  the  death 
of  the  child.  The  whole  village  was  agitated.  TTe 
an  ee  early  in  the  morning  and  saw  the  women  and  their 
children  skulking  in  the  bushes  for  fear  of  the  intoxi- 
cated men,  who  were  drinking  deeper,  and  secreting 
guns,  hatchets  and  whatever  other  dangerous  weapon 
might  be  seized  to  murder  or  harm. 

••  We  got  off  in  two  bands,  one  by  water  and  the  other 
by  land,  stealing  away  with  our  effects,  but  the  drunken 
Indians  pursued  both,  and  one  came  near  enough  up  to 
strike  at  as  with  his  club  and  one  of  the  horses  was  hit. 

"June  4th,  in  the  afternoon,  we  saw  the  place  of  our 
destination  (Windsor,  14  miles  east  from  Bingham- 
bon,)  and  wet  and  fatigued,  we  reached  it  near  night. 
The  Indians  flocked  around  us  and  made  us  welcome, 
but  our  lodgings  were  bad.  being  both  dirty  and  hard 
and  our  clothes  wet" 

Near    L750,    "Moore's    Indian   Charity   School."    was 
established  a1  Lebanon,  Ct,  by  Rev.  Dr.  Eleazer  Whee- 
lock,  for  twenty -five  years  the  pastor  of  the  Second  ( 
gregational  Church  there  and  subsequently  the  first  Pres- 
ident of   Dartmouth  College.     It  enlisted  wide-spread 

Bympathy  in  this   country  and   abroad,  and    gathered    a 

large  number  of  pupils.  Dr.  Wheelock  gave  early  and 
Bpecial  attention  to  the  Six  Nations.  Indeed. in  L767  v. 
he  proposed  to  remove  his  institution  to  this  region,  but 
Q  ernor  Wentworth  offering  "atracl  of  land  in  the 
western  part  of  the  province  of  New  Bampshire,"  which 
he  was  then   settling,   Dr.   Wheelock  went  there,  and 

B 


2  6  PRESS  YTERIANIbM  IN  THE 

tlience  Dartmouth  College  originated.     He  commenced 
an  active  correspondence  about  these  Indians  with  Sir 
William  Johnson  as  far  back  as  1760,  and  educated 
many  of  their  youth,  among  them  Brant,  Occum,  Sam- 
son, Joseph  Wooly  and  David  Fowler.      Messrs.  Gid- 
eon  Hawley,   Spencer,  Chamberlain,   Smith,  Kirkland 
and  others  were  sent  by  him  on  missions  and  tours,  and 
Samuel  Kirkland,  on  his  first  coming  here,  was  intro- 
duced by  him  to  Sir  William  Johnson.     He  wrote  to 
him  in  1764,  "  The  bearers,  Mr.  Kirkland  and  Joseph 
Wooly,  (a  Delaware,)  come  to  submit  themselves  to 
your  Honor's  direction  and  conduct,  with  desire  to  learn 
the  Seneca  and  Mohawk  languages,  and  while  they  are 
doing  that,  to  teach  school  among  them  also."     Sir  Wil- 
liam replied,  "  Kirkland's  intention  of  learning  the  Mo- 
hawk language  I  much  approve  of,  as  after  acquiring  it, 
he  could  (when  qualified)  be  of  much  service  to  them 
as  a  clergyman,  which  they  much  want  and  are  very 
desirous  of  having."     Dr.  Wheelock  again  wrote,   "I 
thank  your  Excellency  most  heartily  for  all  your  con- 
decension  and  repeated  favors  shown  to  me,  and  partic- 
ularly for  your  love  for  and  your  kindness  to  my  dear 
Mr.  Kirkland.     I  have  been  concerned  lest  through  the 
zeal  and  vigor  of  his  youth,  the  natural  sprightliness  of 
his  genius  and  his  unacquaintedness  with  the  business 
he  was  sent  upon,  he  would  be  surprised  into  some  inde- 
cent and  improvident  sallies.     But  my  principal  confi- 
dence, under  God;  has  been  in  that  paternal  care  for 
such,  which  I  take  to  be  a  native  in  your  Excellency's 
breast     I  pray  your  Excellency  to  continue  your  pa- 
ternal kindness  to  him,  and  whatever  supplies  he  shall 
stand  in  need  of,  please  to  provide  him  with  the  same 
and  charge  to  my  account." 


SYXOI)  OP  (I-'STIIAL  XK\Y  YORK.  27 

In  this  same  letter  Dr.  Wheelock  enclosed  a  touching 

address  to  the  Six  Nations,  extracts  from  which  evince 

the  spirit  of  the  man  : 

"  My  Brethren  and  Friends  : 

I  have  had  you  upon  my  heart  ever  since  I  was  a  hoy.  I  have 
pitied  you  on  account  of  your  worldly  poverty,  but  much  more  on 
account  of  the  perishing  case  your  immortal  souls  are  in  without 
a  knowledge  of  the  torus  God  and  Savior  of  sinners  T  have  prayed 
for  you  daily  for  more  than  thirty  years,  that  a  way  might  be 
opened  to  send  the  gospel  to  you  and  you  made  willing  to  receive 
it,  and  I  hope  that  God  is  now  answering  the  prayers  that  have 
been  long  made  for  you  and  that  the  time  of  His  mercy  to  your 
perishing  Nation  is  at  hand.  Some  years  ago  I  educated  Mr.  Oc- 
cum,  who  has  been  a  little  while  with  some  of  you,  with  hopes 
that  God  would  make  him  an  instrument  of  great  good  to  my 
poor  brethren,  the  Indians  He  labored  a  number  of  years  at 
Montauk  and  was  a  means  of  much  good  to  that  tribe  and  also  ro 
some  in  New  England,  and  I  hope  has  done  good  in  the  short  time 
he  has  been  with  you.  After  I  had  educated  Mr.  Occuni  and  saw  no 
other  way  to  help  the  perishing  Indians,  there  being  no  door  open 
to  send  Missionaries  among  them.  I  determined  on  setting  up  an 
Indian  school  to  teach  their  children,  that  when  they  got  learning 
they  might  return  home  and  in  their  own  language  teach  their 
brothers  and  sisters  and    friends  the  way  of  salvation  by  Jesus 

Christ.  I  firsl  took  two  boys  of  the  Delawares,  but  one  of  them 
died  when    he    was  almosl  lit    for  College,  and  the    Other  went    to 

College,  but  when  almost  through  was  overcome  bj  Btrong  drink 

and  so  grieved  my  very  heart.  I  am  now  sending  you  eight  of 
your  sons  whom  I  have  taught  to  read  and  write  well.  Two  of 
them  have  been  examined  by  the  Ministers  who  have  joined  with 

me  to  help  forward  the  great  design  of  christianizing  the  Indians, 
and  are  recommended,  with  Joseph  Wooly,  to  be  Schoolmasters. 
Two  Ministers  are  coming  to  you  from  my  school,  and  thej  are 

men  of  learning  and    have    had    a    liberal    education    and    are  able 

to  teach  you  the  waj  of  Balvation  by  Christ.     And  thej  i"\.-  you. 

They  do  not  come  tO  get   monej    00r  to  get    away  your  land,  nor  to 

cheat  or  wrong  you  in  anything,  but  to  do  you  good,     And  jrou 

may  depend  upon  it,  I  will  never  send  One  willingly  to  preach  the 
gospel  tO  you  who    has   any  Other  view  iban  to   >a\e    \<nir  Mull," 


28  P&E8B  YTEItIA  NISM  IN  THE 

He  then  recommends  the  Indian  teacher,  David  Fowler,  to  theril 
and  speaks  of  him  in  high  terms.  Following  this  is  an  adroit  and 
effective  argument  for  the  tillage  of  the  land,  addressed  to  those 
who  thought  it  "  below  men  to  work  in  the  field,  and  that  this 
belonged  to  women  alone."  He  then  proceeds  :  "  I  thank  you  for 
the  kindness  which  some  of  you  have  shown  to  my  dear  Mr.  Kirk- 
land,  whom  I  sent  into  your  country  last  fall.  His  heart  is  bent 
to  do  good  to  the  Indians.  He  denies  himself  all  the  pleasures 
and  honors  which  he  might  have  here  among  his  friends  only  to 
do  you  good.  I  wish  you  all  happiness  in  this  world  and  in  the 
world  to  come.  I  design,  by  God's  help,  to  do  all  the  good  I  can 
to  the  poor  miserable  Indians  as  long  as  Llive,  and  when  you  can 
pray  to  God  for  yourselves,  then  pray  for  me.  I  hope  I  shall  live 
in  Heaven  with  many  of  you  and  that  we  shall  rejoice  together  in 
beholding  our  glorified  Redeemer  for  evermore." 

In  these  days  of  revived  memories,  let  us  call  to  mind 
Eleazer  Wheelock.  Dartmouth  College  and  New  Hamp- 
shire never  cease  to  remember  him.  Let  Central  New 
York  and  its  Calvinistic  Church,  especially,  and  the 
friends  of  the  red  man  and  of  humanity  and  of  heathen 
evangelization,  refresh  their  recollections  of  him.  A  man 
of  ability  and  learning,  ;i  pastor  of  dilligence,  fidelity 
and  success,  the  founder  and  President  of  a  prominent 
and  prosperous  College,  his  heart  was  set  on  the  univer- 
sal diffusion  of  the  gospel,  and  to  spread  it  among  the 
savages  of  our  forests,  was  the  wakeful  thought  and  the 
dream  in  sleep  of  liis  boyhood  and  youth,  and  the  pas- 
sion of  his  manhood 

Samuel    Kirkland!  "Xomen  clarum  et  venerable." 
Illustrious  throughout  Christendom,  the  suggestion  o( 

him  prompts  honor  and  homage.  A  descendant  of 
Miles  Standish,  educated  at  ''Moore's  Indian  Charity 
School,"  and  the  College  of  New  Jersey,  in  Princeton, 
he  left  his  studies  for  the  work  which  for  years  he  had 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  29 

regarded  as  marked  out  for  hirn,  and  uninterruptedly 
prosecuted  it  for  forty  years,  finding  a  help-meet  for 
him  in  the  neice  of  Dr.  Wheelock.  From  the  begin- 
ning continuously  to  the  close  he  commanded  the  con- 
fidence and  affection  and  reverence  of  the  red  men  and 
compelled  the  approbation  and  respect  of  the  whites 
and  so  demonstrated  himself  "a  workman  that  needed 
not  to  be  ashamed,1'  as  to  be  called  upon  by  our  Gov- 
ernment to  come  to  the  rescue  of  the  country  at  a  crit- 
ical hour  and  in  an  emergency  in  which  it  was  acknowl- 
edged that  he  alone  could  be  expected  successfully  to 
interpose.  The  Indians  loved  and  trusted  and  minded 
him  like  children.  Skenandoah,  a  noted  orator  mid 
sachem,  begged  t<>  sleep  in  the  grave  by  liim,  and  the 
two  were  laid  side  by  side,  and  proverbially  ungrateful 
as  Republics  are.  if  not  recompensed,  his  patriotic  serv- 
ices wciv  recognized  by  large  and  repeated  grants  of  pub- 
lic land.  Intent  on  tlie  children  of  his  dusky  children. 
be  appropriated  a  large  portion  of  this  land  to  the  found- 
ing in  Oneida  county  of  a  counterpart  of  "  Moore's  In- 
dian Charitv  School."'  and  this  came  into  form  as  the 
Hamilton  (Oneida)  Academy  in  1793,  and  in  L810  it 
expanded  into  I  [amilton  <  '"1!' 

We  need  qo1  and  will  not  measure  and  weigh  Samuel 

Kirkland  with  other   Missionaries  ^^i  the  Gross,  bul  a 
living  presence  throughout ( lentral  New  York  and  deep 

and  distiiid    in   the  impression   he  has  made,   bow   like    a 

being  of  flesh  and  blood  be  is  still  in  all  our  churches, 
in  all  our  homes,  in  all  our  hearts. 

W'lieelock  and     Kirkland   have   consecrated  the    field 

of  our  activities,     h   oughl   to  be  holy  ground  tons, 
and  inspired  with  the  spirit  these  old  saints  breathed 


30  PRESBYTEltlANISM  IN  THE 

over  it,  shall  it  not  be  our  great  employment  to 
save  the  perishing.  Self  has  no  place  here,  but  ex- 
pelling it,  whether  in  the  form  of  interest,  or  ambition, 
or  employment,  let  us  live  in  the  congregations  and 
communities  we  serve. 

Missions  among  the  Six  Nations  were  as  discourag- 
ing* as  they  usually  have  been  among  Indian  tribes. 

*  In  a  sort  of  summary  of  the  results  of  his  educational  efforts 
for  the  Indians,  Dr.  Wheelock  exhibits  the  sublime  patience  and 
devotedness  of  the  man,  and  almost  as  clearly,  it  must  be  con- 
fessed, the  discouragement  of  his  work.  "Among  those  whom  I 
have  educated,  there  have  been  near  forty  who  were  good  readers 
and  writers  and  were  instructed  in  the  principles  of  the  Christian 
religion  as  their  age  and  time  would  admit  and  were  sufficiently 
masters  of  English  grammar  and  arithmetic,  and  a  number  consid- 
erably advanced  in  a  knowledge  of  Latin  and  Greek,  and  one  of 
them  carried  through  college  and  was  a  good  scholar,  and  others 
carried  through  a  course  of  learning  with  not  less  expense  for 
each  of  them  than  would  have  been  necessary  to  support  an  En- 
glish youth  through  a  collegiate  course  and  they  have  generally 
behaved  well  while  they  were  with  me  and  left  my  school  with 
fair  and  unblemished  characters  and  under  the  influence  of  every 
motive  I  could  set  before  them,  to  a  good  improvement  of  the  dis- 
tinguishing talents  which  God  had  committed  to  them,  and  many 
of  them  have  gone  immediately  from  my  school  into  good  aud  re- 
spectable business  and  such  business  as  they  were  equal  to,  and 
generally  to  serve  as  schoolmasters,  but  some  as  interpreters,  &c, 
and  nothing  has  prevented  their  being  employed  usefully  and 
reputably  in  various  capacities  till  this  day,  but  their  want  of 
fortitude  to  resist  the  power  of  those  fashionable  vices  which 
were  rampant  among  all  their  tribes.  Of  all  before  mentioned, 
1  didn't  hear  of  more  than  half  who  have  preserved  their  charac- 
ters unstained  either  by  a  coarse  oi  intemperance  or  uncleanness, 
or  both,  and  some  who,  on  account  of  their  parts  and  learning  bid 
the  fairest  for  usefulness,  are  sunk  down  into  as  low,  savage  and 
brutish  a  manner  of  living  as  they  were  in  before  any  endeavors 
were  made  to  raise  them   up,  and   there   are  some  of  whom  I  did 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  31 

There  were  individual  converts,  and  some  of  them,  all 
things  considered,  of  a  marked  character ;  but  as  a 
mass,  they  withstood  Christian  influence  and  effort,  and 
though  compelled  to  give  up  a  vagrant  life,  but  few 
have  settled  down  to  industrious  occupations.  There 
seems  to  be  a  curse  upon  them.  'We  dare  not  affirm 
this,  and  must  not  presume  to  neglect  them.  If  but 
one  here  and  there  may  be  saved,  it  will  compensate 
for  any  outlay,  and  occupying  their  lands,  we  can  afford 
to  labor  and  spend  for  their  souls. 

FRENCH   A  XI)   ENGLISH   WARS. 

The  French  and  English  wars,  extending  from  the 
entrance  of  the  whites  into  the  country  down  to  the 
conquest  of  the  French  by  the  English  in  1760,  made 
tins  a  field  of  diplomacy  and  stratagem  and  blood,  and 
of  thrilling  and  romantic  incidenl  and  adventure.  Sel- 
dom have  the  art  and  artifice  of  the  statesman  and  the 
skill  and  courage  of  the  soldier  surpassed  those  then 
exhibited    here.     It  was  the  key  of  the  country,  and 

and  still  do  entertain  hope  that  they  really  were  the  subjects  of 
God'e  grace,  who  have  not  wholly  kept  their  garments  unspotted 
amongst  the  pots,  and  six  of  those  who  did  preserve  s  Lr«><»d  char- 
acter are  sow  dead."    N.  Y.  Doe.  Hie    I,  818-14. 

Per  contra— in  a  letter  to  Arthur  Lee,  Doe,  Hie,  I  278,  Sir  Wil- 
liam Johnson  says,  "Their  repugnance  to  civilization  is  aot  owing 

to  any  viciousnesS    Of   their    nature,  or  want    of  capacity,    SB  they 

bave  a  strong  genius  for  arts  and  uncommon  patience.  The  chil- 
dren are  senl  back  too  soon  from  school  to  their  people,  whose 
political  maxim,  Spartan  like,  is  to  discourage  all  pursuits  hut 
war,  holding  all  other  knowledge  unworthy  the  dignity  of  man. 
The  Influence  of  such  subsequent  associations  can  bardli  in-  with- 
stood by  an  early  school  education." 


82  PRESB  YTERIANISM  IN  THE 

the  nation  that  held  it,  opened  or  closed  the  way  to 
every  part  of  the  country,  and  the  negotiations  and 
conflicts  upon  it,  therefore,  treated  and  battled  for  the 
possession  of  the  country.  Strong  forts  were  built  at 
such  commanding  points  as  Oswego,  Cape  Vincent, 
Ogdensburgh  and  Eome,  and  forts  for  the  defense  of  the 
inhabitants  at  Schoharie  and  Herkimer,  and  posts  for 
the  French  particularly  were  established  wherever  per- 
mission for  them  could  be  procured  from  the  Iroquois. 
It  was  of  the  utmost  moment  to  make  sure  of  the 
friendship  and  alliance  of  the  aborigines.  The  English 
acquired  this  by  transmission  from  the  Dutch,  whom 
they  succeeded  in  the  colony  of  New  York,  and  who, 
for  the  most  part,  had  kept  on  good  terms  with  the 
aborigines ;  and  the  French  sought  to  buy  it  by  pres- 
ents and  promises,"  and  to  compel  it  by  arms.  The 
French  invasions  of  them,  and  the  French  and  English 
conflicts,  with  savages  as  allies  on  one  side  and  as  foes 
of  the  other,  combined  valor  and  ferocity  beyond  pre- 
cedent in  battling  and  carnage,  while  the  dense  forests 
and  vast  wilderness  gave  tcrribleness  to  the  armies  and 
their  encounters.  Individual  feats  and  escapes,  daring 
and  hairbreadth,  and  of  constant  occurrence,  surpass 
everything  fiction  relates,  and  the  most  stolid  are  stirred 
in  reading  of  them.  This  portion  of  our  country's  his- 
tory  should  be  more  familial-  to  its  people,  and  particu- 
larly to  the  people  of  this  region,  and  should  be  better 
published  to  the  world.  North  America  was  the  spoils 
for  which  the  warfare  was  waged,  and  the  theo  two 
great  nations  of  Europe,  for  long  ages  battling  there, 
fiercely  fought  here,  enlisting  in  their  ranks  the 
tribes  of  savages  who  were  the  terror  of  all  other  sav- 


8TN0D  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  33 

ages,  and  largely  their  conquerors.  More  than  the 
possession  of  North  America  hung  on  the  wars.  The 
character  of  its  civilization,  and  especially  the  descrip- 
tion of  its  Christianity,  were  at  slake.  This  home  of 
ours — the  seat  of  this  Synod — was  the  great  battle-field 
where  victory  made  our  nation  Anglo  Saxon  and  our 
religion  Protestant.  It  is  the  Armageddon  of  our 
Land 

THE    REVOLUTIONARY    AVAIL 

Incidents  and  scenes  in  these  parts  during  the  Revo- 
lutionary war  are  much  better  known.  The  Six  Na- 
tions, in  undiminished  numbers  and  with  untamed  sav- 
agery, roamed  the  wilds,  and  with  the  exception  of  the 
greater  pari  of  the  Oneidas  and  Tuscaroras,  held  to  us 
by  the  Missionary  Kirkland.  whom  the  government 
had  commissioned  for  this  service,  all  adhered  to  Great 
Britain,  and  desperately  fought  for  it.  One  of  the  de- 
cisive battles  of  the  war  was  foughl  at  Oriskany,  and 
one  of  the  decisive  sieges  in  it  was  carried  on  at  Fort, 
Stanwix,  while  the  horrible  massacre  al  Cherry  Valley 
is  one  of  the  two  greal  atrocities  perpetrated  in  it. 

True  bo  itself,  to  its  principles,  its  doctrines,  its  line- 
age, its  antecedents,  Presbyterianisra  was  devoted  to 
the  cause  of  civil  liberty  in  the  Revolutionary  struggle 
Its  pulpit  gave  no  uncertain  sound,  and  its  ministers 
joined  and  led  in  obeying  the  summons  the\  published 
to  patriotic  arms.  TheSynod  of  New  York  and  Phila- 
delphia, then  our  bighesl  ecclesiastical  body,  met  in 
177o.  and  echoed  the  guns  fired  four  weeks  before  at 
Lexington,  and  encouraged  and  helped  to  embolden 
the  Declaration  <>\    Independence  the   year  following, 


3  4  PRE  SB  TTERIA  NISM  IN  THE 

while  the  Scotch-Irish  at  Mecklenberg,  1ST.  C,  antici- 
pated, if  they  did  not  furnish,  the  words  of  that  im- 
mortal document. 

Our  historian,  Hildreth,  tells  us  "The  Episcopal 
clergy  leaned,  with  very  few  exceptions,  to  the  side  of 
the  crown,  and  in  the  Middle  and  Northern  Provinces 
their  flocks  were  chiefly  of  the  same  way  of  thinking." 
Another  writer  describes  some  of  them  as  "bitter  and 
relentless  in  their  Toryism;  their  violence  helped  to 
bring  discredit  on  their  cause,  and  their  religious  intol- 
erance led  them  to  their  ruin."*  Those  in  this  field 
consisted  largely  of  this  class.  The  pensioners  of  the 
British  government  and  the  retainers  of  Sir  William 
Johnson,  while  courtly  to  their  patrons,  they  were  arro- 
gant and  sometimes  malignant  towards  so-called  "  dis- 
senters'' and  "rebels."  Their  letters  occasionally  ; ire 
amusing  by  their  passionateness.  The  Rev.  Dr.  Auch- 
merty  wrote  to  Sir  William  Johnson,  1770 :  "  The  true 
principles  of  a  good  churchman  are  a  true  regard  to 
the  laws  of  his  God  and  a  zealous  attachment  to  his 
lawful  sovereign.  The  opposers  of  a  monarchical  gov- 
ernment (too  many  of  which  our  nation  is  cursed  with) 

*A  letter  written  October  31,  1776,  by  Rev.  Dr.  Charles  Inglis, 
thru  rector  of  Trinity  Church,  New  York,  vividly  describes  the 
civil  attitude  and  animus  of  Prelacy  and  Presbyterianism  in  Rev- 
olutionary times.     N.  T.  Doc.  His.  3  :  1051. 

"Yet  many  of  them  distinguished  themselves  for  fidelity  to  the 
defense  of  the  Colonies.  Of  this  number  were  Bishop  Madison, 
and  Bracken,  Beluiaine,  Buchanan,  Jarratt,  Griffith,  Davis  and 
many  others,  while  Muhlenburg.  of  Virginia,  relinquished  his 
rectorate,  became  colonel  in  the  American  army,  raised  a  regi- 
ment from  among  his  own  parishioners,  and  served  through  the 
whole  war,  retiring  at  its  close  as  brigadier-general."  llurd,  in 
First  Century  of  Republic,  477. 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  85 

are  a  direct  contrast,  which  every  man's  experience,  if 
he  has  ten  grains  of  sense,  or  five  of  honesty,  must 
convince  him  of.  These  men  are  ever  assuming  a 
power,  have  once  had  it — made  a  diabolical  use  of  it, 
and  yet  have  the  audaciousness,  the  wickedness,  to 
attempt  to  usurp  it  again  under  the  best  of  princes.  The 
clergy  are  much  indebted  to  you.  worthy  sir,  for  your 
strong  attachment  to  the  present  happy  establishment 
in  Church  and  State,  and  for  your  animated  letters  to 
the  ministry,  setting  forth  the  necessity  of  an  American 
Episcopacy  and  a  proper  notice  and  regard  lor  the 
American  churches,  which  at  present  are  left  destitute 
of  countenance  and  support,  subject  to  the  vile  ravages 
of  Goths  and  Vandals — or,  what  is  worse,  inveterate 
malice  from  those  that  dare  to  style  themselves  Chris- 
tians. May  God  reform  them.  I  forgive  them,  but 
forget  them  1  never  shall." 

The  proposal  to  set  up  an  American  Episcopate  in 
our  Land  aroused  the  fears  of  evevy  aon-prelatisl  in  it. 
It  was  to  be  an  extension  here,  they  thought,  of  the 
oppressiveness  and  odiousness  of  the  British  Church 
and  State  system.  The  people  took  tire  at  it.  and  this 
was  largely  the  kindling  of  the  Revolutionary  flame 
The  lear  was  w<-ll  grounded,  too.  The  tory  clergy  did 
aim  at  an  ecclesiastical  establishment  in  the  United 
States  corresponding  t<>  the  one  in  Greal  Britain.  Dr. 
A  uchmerl  \ .  in  the  letter  just  quoted  from,  says,  "I, 
therefore,  as  the  President  of  the  Convention  /'/•"  i>  m- 
pore,  return  you  our  most  sincere  and  grateful  thanks 
for  the  exertion  of  yourinteresl  in  favor  of  the  Church 
of  England  in  America,  and  for  the  man}  favors  we 
have  received  from  you  as  clergymen,     We  bave  still 


36  PRESBYTER1ANISM  IN  THE 

to  beg  that  the  discouragements  you  have  met  with 
may  not  slacken  your  generous  ardor  or  provoke  you 
to  cease  your  application  at  home  in  our  favor,  i.  e.,the 
preservation  of  the  present  happy  establishment  in 
Church  and  State,  which  ought  to  be  as  firmly  settled 
here  as  in  Great  Britain."     Doc.  His.  4  :  266. 

Rev.  Jacob  W.  Johnson,  one  of  our  missionaries  to 
the  Indians,  wrote  from  Fort  Stanwix  in  1768  to  Sir 
William  in  quite  a  different  strain,  and  with  consider- 
able quiet  humor.  The  letter  sufficiently  explains  the 
occasion  of  it:  "Inasmuch  as  I  am  a  minister  of  Christ, 
and  my  work  principally  to  preach  the  gospel  to  the 
lower  rank  of  people,  I  have  not  used  myself  much  to 
the  company  and  converse  of  gentlemen  of  the  civil 
and  military  order,  especially  in  the  pleasure  and  prac- 
tice of  drinking  healths,  loyal  toasts,  &c.;  wherefore,  I 
may  easily  offend  in  this  respect  with  no  ill  meaning  ; 
and  inasmuch  as  in  drinking  the  king's  health  yester- 
day, I  used  such  terms  as  to  offend  Colonel  Johnson, 
the  Chief  Justice,  and  it  may  be  some  others,  in  saying, 
'I  drink  the  king  of  New  England  health:  the  health 
of  the  king  that  hears  our  prayers,'  &c.,  I  do  hereby 
honestly  and  before  Ilim  that  knoweth  all  things  pro- 
test I  had  no  other  meaning,  then  or  now,  but  what  Is 
expressed  or  implied  in  these  words,  I  drink  the  health 
of  King  George  I II.  of  Greal  Britain,  &c.,  comprehend- 
ing New  England  and  all  the  British  colonies  and  pro- 
vinces in  North  America,  And  1  mean  to  drink  such 
a  health  to  his  British  Majesty  when  occasion  serves 
so  long  as  his  Royal  Majesty  shall  govern  his  American 
and  British  subjects  according  to  Magna  Charta,  or  the 
greal  charter  of  English  liberties,  and  hears  the  prayers 


S  I  YOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  37 

of  his  American   Bubjects  when   properly  laid  before 

him.  But  in  case  his  British  Majesty  (which  God  in 
great  mercy  prevent)  should  supersede  and  proceed 
contrary  to  charter  rights  and  privileges,  and  govern 
ns  with  a  rod  of  iron  and  the  month  of  cannon,  and 
make  his  little  ringer  thicker  than  his  father's  loins,  and 
utterly  refuse  to  hear  or  consider  our  humble  prayers, 
then  and  in  that  case  I  should  think  it  my  indispensa- 
ble duty  to  seek  a  retreat  elsewhere,  or  join  with  my 
countrymen  in  forming  a  new  empire  in  America,  dis- 
tiiK-i  from  and  independent  of  the  British  empire, 
agreeable  to  a  projected  and  predicted  plan  in  a  late 
.  which  in  substance  agrees  with  my  rnind  in  those 
things,  and.  if  I  am  oot  mistaken,  with  every  true  son 
of  Liberty."     Doc  His.  4  :  i>47. 

The  Scotch-Irish  of  our  church  and   the   Lutherans. 
as  really    Presbyterian  as  ourseh  the  front  of 

the  immigration  into  the  territory  of  the  Synod  at  that 
period,  the  Scotch-Irish  settling  on  the  most  easterly 
portion  of  it  in  Otsego  and  Delaware  counties  and  the 
nans  on  the  Mohawk  River  up  t<>  Herkimer.  They 
were  patriotic  and  intrepid,  too.  It  cost  somethii 
avow  themselves  in  the  days  of  discussion  and  contro- 
versy, prior  to  tin-  clangor  of  arms.  The  community 
was  divided  in  sentiment,  and  feeling  arose  to  fever- 
heat  Prope/ty  and  social  rank  and  civil  position  sen- 
sitively and  vividly  upheld  the  king,  and  it  was  at  the 
sacrifice  of  everything  bestowed  by  them  or  derived  or 
hoped  for  from  them  that  the  people  were  sustained 
Ami  when  the  war  broke  <>ut.  to  side  with  the  people 
was  to  brave  the  worst  that  could  he  inflicted  ly  the 

fury  <  >f  the  opulent  and  powerful  supporters  of   the  king. 


38  PRESBTTER1AN1SM  IN  THE 

his  trained  armies  and  their  large  auxiliaries.  The  bit- 
terness of  partizanship,  inquisitive  and  unsparing  and 
unrelenting,  the  inroads  and  assaults  of  a  reckless  for- 
eign soldiery,  reinforced  by  brutal  volunteers,  and  the 
surprisings  and  scalpings  and  burnings  and  massacres 
of  fiendish  Indians,  were  the  stern  ventures  accepted 
by  the  brave  patriots  here.  Think  of  the  Palatinates. - 
on  the  Mohawk.  A  few  hundred  were  scattered,  or 
gathered  in  small  groups  along  the  river  valley,  beyond 
the  possibility  of  succor,  and  within  easy  striking  dis- 
tance of  the  fierce  Iroquois.  Think  of  the  Scotch-Iris]], 
the  outskirts  of  white  population  to  the  south  of  the 
Mohawk  and  as  exposed  as  their  German  brethren,  and 
dauntless  in  their  patriotism,  how  dreadfully  they  suf- 
fered for  it.  The  name  of  Cherry  Valley  is  written  in 
blood  and  lighted  up  by  flame.  The  world  is  familiar 
with  it  and  shudders  at  the  horors  enacted  at  it.  What 
a  holocaust  was  there  on  the  altar  of  freedom ! 

The  year  preceding  the  Cherry  Valley  massacre,  the 
British  entered  on  an  expedition  which  they  had  long 
and  carefully  deliberated  and  for  which  they  had  prod- 
igally prepared.  They  proposed  to  thrust  themselves 
in  between  New  England  and  the  rest  of  the  States,  and 
l>v  this  division  of  them  to  conquer  them.  Gen.  Bur- 
goyne  was  sent  with  a  large,  well  trained  army  by  Lake 
Champlain,  one  of  the  only  two  passages,  from  Canada 
to  New  York,  and  fighting  his  way  to  Saratoga,  was 
obliged  to  capitulate  there,  St.  Leger  was  sent  with 
another  army  of  English  troops,  seconded  by  a  horde  of 

*The  Germans  on  the  Mohawk  and  elsewhere  in  the  country 
were  called  Palatinates  because  they  emigrated  from  the  Palatines 
of  their  mother-country. 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  39 

savages  under  the  terrible  and  infamous  Brant,  and  a 
band  of  rancorous 'tories,  by  tlie  way  of  Home,  with  in- 
structions to  halt  at  Johnstown,  and  there  arrest  our 
fugitive  army  which  Burgoyne  was  expected  to  put  to 
flight,  or  be  a  reserve  to  Burgoyne,  should  he  meet 
with  any  check.  Fort  Stanwix  was  the  point  on  which 
St  Leger's  part  of  the  expeditiou  turned,  and  for  the  pos- 
session of  this  he  concentrated  his  entire  force  there  and 
employed  all  his  art  and  enginery.  Nothing  saved  it 
but  the  onrushing  to  its  rescue  of  the  Germans  of  the 
Mohawk.  The  battle  of  Oriskany  was  as  hard-foughl 
as  any  in  the  war  and  as  decisive  as  the  battle  of  Sar- 
atoga, and  struck  its  determining  blow  in  the  same  cam- 
paign. Nay,  more;  it  ended  England's  alliances  with 
sa\  ages.  Dispirited  by  the  slaughter  of  their  chieftains, 
the  [ndians  never  again  appeared  on  the  field  as  their 
auxiliaries.  And  were  gallantry  and  enthusiasm  for 
country  and  freedom  ever  more  signally  displayed  than 
in  the  rallying  of  those  Mohawk  farmers  at  the  call  of 
their  fellow-German  General  Herkimer,  mid  their  flying 
to  meel  the  disciplined  mercenaries  and  the  Indian  allies 
of  Greal  Britain  and  drive  them  from  before  the  hold 
thai  kepi  a  little  band  of  patriot  soldiers?  and  when  sur- 
prised on  their  rapid  march,  how  desperately  they 
fought,  and  how  triumphantly  they  served  in  the  end. 
to  repel  the  invaders  from  the  beseiged  and  assaulted 
Eorl  and  thrust  them  back  to  their  starting  point,  and 
utterly  defeal  their  scheme  of  conquest 

\Yh;it  a  foremost    picture  in  the  world's  militar 
Lery  is  the  General,  with  leg  fractured  by  a  musket  ball, 

and  horse  killed  under  him.  seated  OH  his  saddle  whieh 

he  bad  directed  to  be  placed  on  a  little  billock,     To  the 


40  PRESBYTERIAN  ISM  IN  THE 

entreaty  to  retire  to  a  less  exposed  situation,  lie  replied, 
"  I  will  face  the  enemy,"  and  in  the  heat  of  battle,  sur- 
rounded by  a  few  of  his  intrepid  men,  he  took  his  tinder 
box  from  his  j:>ocket,  lighted  his  pipe  and  calmly  smoked, 
at  the  same  time  vigilantly  watching  circumstances  and 
occurrences,  and  deliberately  issuing  his  orders.  It  was 
the  coolness  and  courage  of  a  Christian  soldier.  Ten 
days  after  the  battle  he  submitted  to  the  amputation  of 
his  leg  at  his  home,  near  Little  Falls,  where  his  affec- 
tionate men  had  borne  him,  and  there  a  bungling  opera- 
tion was  performed.  Bleeding  to  death,  he  joined  the 
long  list  of  victims  of  professional  ignorance  and  botch- 
ery.  He  maintained  to  the  last  his  calmness  on  the 
field  of  action.  Aware  that  dissolution  was  at  hand, 
he  called  for  the  family  Bible  and  gathering  his  house- 
hold about  him,  and  shewing  his  familiarity  with  the 
inspired  Book  by  the  aptness  of  his  selection,  he  turned 
to  the  39th  Psalm  and  in  a  clear,  untremulous  voice, 
read — "  0  Lord,  rebuke  me  not  in  thy  wrath,  neither 
chasten  me  in  thy  hot  displeasure,  for  thine  arrows 
stick  fast  in  me  and  thy  hand  presseth  me  sore/' 

TREATIES  WITH  THE  INDIANS  AFTER  THE  REVOLUTION- 
ARY WAR  AND  THE    KXTINCTION   OF  THEIR 
TITLE   TO   THE    LAND. 

The  French  and  English  wars  and  the  war  of  the 
Revolution  revealed  the  country  to  the  eyes  of  civiliza- 
tion, but  its  occupation  by  red  men  forebade  the  settle- 
ment of  whites  be}Tond  Herkimer.  There  were  not 
10,000  of  these  in  the  whole  county  of  Tryon.  At  the 
breaking  out  of  hostilities  with  the  Mother  Country. 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW    YORK.  41 

the  Mohawks  left  for  Canada,  the  Oneidas  and  Tusca- 

roras  were  won  to  the  .side  of  the  patriots,  arid  the  tribes 
of  them  were  greatly  broken  and  intimidated  In- 
General  Sullivan's  expedition  against  them.  But  not- 
withstanding this,  the  pr  of  Indians  in  it  was 
a  repulsion  from  the  country  and  their  title  to  the 
land  an  obstacle  to  its  possession.  .V  treaty  with 
the  Six  Nations  at  Fort  Stanwix  in  1784.  established 
peace  and  amity  between  them  and  the  United  St. 
and  subsequent  purchases  from  the  several  tribes  by 
the  State  of  New  Fork,  and  also  by  the  State  of  Mas- 
sachusetts, or  by  parties  to  whom  the  Massachusetts 
preemption  right  was  sold,  extinguished  the  Indian 
title  to  all  lands  in  the  State  save  several  small  reserva- 
tion.-. Massachusetts  became  a  party  to  these  trans- 
actions, through  a  settlement  of  boundaries  between  it 
and  New  York,  according  to  which  it  relinquished  its 
claim  to  ,-t  part  of  the  territory  of  New  York  in  consid- 
eration of  its  receiving  a  preemption  right  to  what  was 
subsequently  called  "The  Massachusetts  Teu  Town- 
ships," lying  between  the  Owego  and  Chenango  rivers, 
and  six  millions  of  acres  west  of  a  line  running  through 
Seneca  Lake. 

LAND    PURCHAS 

New  York  set  apart  the  portion  of  her  lands,  or  of 
the  lands  to  which  she  laid  a  preemption  right  in  On- 
ondaga, Cayuga,  Seneca  and  Cortland  counties,  and  the 
Larger  part  of  Tompkins  and  a  small  part  of  i  i 
ami  Wayne  counties  for  military  bounties  t<>  soldi* 
tin-  State  that  had  served  !'■)!■  a  certain  space  in  tin-  war 
of  the  Revolution,  and  they  were  known  as  "The  Mili- 
b2 


42  PRESBYTERIAN1SM  TX  THE 

t;ir\  Tract,"  a  name  that  frequently  occurs  in  the  his- 
tory of  CeDtral  and  Western  New  York. 

Ob  the  sale  of  their  lands  the  Indians  removed  to 
Canada  and  the  West,  not  more  perhaps  than  500  re- 
maining  behind 

Opened  to  immigration  the  region  received  it  with  a 
rush.  "  Whitestown,"  which  township  at  first  extend- 
ed over  Central  and  Western  New  York,  and  later,  "  the 
Genesee  conntiy,"  were  names  for  El  Dorados,  and  fas- 
cinated crowds  pressed  into  it.  In  the  winter  of  1795, 
twelve  hundred  sleighs  loaded -with  furniture  and  with 
men.  women  and  children,  passed  through  Albany  in 
three  days,  and  Jive  hundred  were  counted  between  sun- 
rise and  sun-set  of  February  28th,  in  that  year.  It  is 
difficult  to  conceive  the  straits  of  the  first  settlers  amid 
the  present  prodigal  production  of  the  region  and  its 
lightning  railway  trains.  It  took  from  ten  days  to  two 
weeks  to  goto  Albany  for  goods  and  to  return.  For  two 
years  the  nearest  mill  to  Whitestown  was  at  Palatine, 
forty  miles  distant,  and  could  be  reached  only  by  an 
Indian  path,  which  defied  wheels  and  hardly  allowed 
passage  for  a  horse,  thick  forests  of  massive  timberwere 
to  1"'  levelled  and  the  land  cleared  up,  and  wild  beasts 
and   roving  Indians  and   chills  and  fevers  encountered. 

IMMIGRATION. 

The  mass  of  immigrants  were  men  <A'  the  world,  hut 
mingling  with  them  everywhere,  in  different  propor- 
tions in  different  communities,  and  here  and  there  far 
exceeding  them,  were  individual  Christians  and  hands 
and  colonies  ^^  Christians,  and  a  large  majority  of  the 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  43 

whole  had  been  brought  up  tinder  religious  and  even 
Congregational  and  Presbyterian  training.  They  were 
more  favorable,  as  a  whole  to  gospel  institutions  than 
t  In- first  settlers  of  "the  Grreal  West,"  and  almost  uni- 
versally they  deemed  the  church  and  the  ministry  in- 
dispensable to  them.  They  held  lay  services  frequent- 
ly when  do  other  could  be  procured,  as  at  Coventry* 
and  Clinton,  for  example,  and  often  obtained  preachers 
and  pastors  for  themselves,  without  waiting  for  mission- 
aries, as  at  Clinton,  New  Eartford,  Utica  and  Whites- 
boro,  or  brought  them  with  them  when  they  left  their 
previous  homes. 

The  war  of  the  Revolution  not  only  destroyed  eccle- 
siastical property  and  staid  evangelistic  work  and  broke 
up  christian  habits  and  diverted  christian  thought,  but 

it  widely  let  in  French  infidelity,  and  particularly  was 
the  enterprising  mind  of  the  country,  such  as  is  always 
th<-  mind  of  emigrants,  infected  by  it,  and  added  to  the 
mental  and  moral  disorganization  incident  to  all  wars 
and  the  scepticism  broughl  in  by  our  French  allies  in 
the  war  of  the  Revolution,  was  the  loss  or  weakening  ^*i 
happy  restraints  and  incidents  almost  invariably  expe- 
rienced on  leaving  an  old  and  entering  a  new  commun- 
ity. The  efle<-t  was  particularly  \  isible  in  this  case  from 
the  wide  prevalence  of  a  worse  than  Parisian  Sabbath. 

*As  there  was  no  male  professor  of  religion  at  Coventry,  a  hand 
of  praying  women,  intent  on  establishing  public  worship,  induced 
the  bee!  man  they  could  obtain,  to  lead  in  praj  erand  read  sermons, 

holding  tin-  services  in  their  rude  log   houses.      Some    male  mem 

hers  of  the  church  afterwards  moved  into  the  town  ami  took  this 
part,  and  so  it  continued  for  ten  years,  when  (1807)  a  church  was 
organized  and  a  minister  employed. 


\  1  PKESB  YTER1AMSM  IN  THE 

Husbands  and  fathers  mighl  contribute  money  for  min- 
ister's salaries  and  even  wail  <>n  their  services,  but  they 
scrupled  not  to  desecrate  holy  time,  and  it  often  became 
a  season  of  public  sport  and  general  revelry. 

The  General  Assembly  year  after  year  uttered  its 
voice  in  warning  and  entreaty,  and  its  tones  waxed  in 
earnestness  until  1798,  when  the  evil  culminated,  and 
the  church  was  called  to  the  observance  of  a  day  for 
fasting,  humiliation  and  prayer,  in  view  of  the  prevail- 
ing irreligion  and  vice.  The  next  year  the  "great  re- 
vival," as  it  was  called,  began  and  a  new  order  and  as- 
pect of  things  appeared. 

RELIGION     OF    THE     PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH    AT    THE 
FIRST   SETTLEMENT   OF  THE   COUNTRY. 

American  Presbyterianism  not  long  before  had  been 

sent  to  s.li.  ml.  and  in  the  "Old  and  Xew  Sides  '  con- 
troversy, and  under  the  Whitfield  revival,  received  an 
education  which  eminently  and  specially  titled  it  for  the 
exigences  of  the  day.  It  became  grounded  in  all  the 
elements  of  true  pietj  and  in  the  conditions  of  a  legiti- 
mate church  membership  and  in  the  qualifications  for 
a  ministerial  commission,  while  it  caught  a  holy  fireand 
gol  a  holy  quickening  from  the  presence  of  the  Spirit. 
The  conservatism  of  theOld  Sides  was  learned  together 
with  the  aggressiveness  and  enterprise  of  tin1  Xew  Sides, 
the  needfulness  iA'  knowledge  exacted  by  the  first,  and 
^\'  the  zeal  of  the  last,  both  intelligence  and  regenera- 
tion, orthodoxy  and  christian  experience,  as  the  terms 
of  admission  to  sealing  ordinances,  and  ^\'  learning  and 
holiness   and    activity   and   earnestness,  as  the   requi- 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  45 

site  gifts  and  graces  for  the  sacred  office,  and  interfused 
through  all,  warming  and  vitalizing  it,  was  the  influ- 
ence of  the  Holy  Ghost. 

What  an  amalgam  was  that  when,  at  Philadelphia, 
in  1758,  Old  Sides  and  New  Sides  came  together,  and 
what  a  church  was  formed  for  the  coming  exigencies  of 
religion  in  the  land. 

SYMPATHY    AM)    COOPERATION    OF    PRESBYTEBIANISM 
AND   CONGREGATIONALISM. 

The  liberality  of  both  Presbyterianism  and  Congre- 
gationalism, their  affinity  in  creed  and  disposition,  and 
their  long  and  close  association  happily  fitted  them  for 
the  first  settlement  of  this  field. 

In  L766,  a  Convention,  which  met  at  Elizabethtown, 
New  Jersey,  formed  a  plan  for  Union,  approved  by  tin4 
Synod  of  New  York  and  Philadelphia,  then  our  high- 
esl  Judicatory,  between  our  church  and  Congregational 
churchea  [ts  expressed  design  was  "to  gain  informa- 
tion of  their  united  cause  and  interest,  to  colleet  ac- 
counts relating  thereto,  to  unite  their  endeavors  for 
spreading  the  gospel  and  preserving  the  religious  liberties 
of  the  churches,  (then  threatened  l>\  the  establishment 
of  Episcopacy  in  the  land  as  a  State  institution.)  to  dif- 
fuse barmony  and  to  keep  up  a  correspondence  between 
this  united  body  and  with  friends  abroad,  and  to  vindi- 
cate the  loyalty  and  reputation  n\'  the  churches  thus 
represented,"  this  being  aspersed  at  the  time  inthebusy 
iv]  I,  >ris  of  prelacy  t<>  t  li<-  Home  Government  The  Con- 
vention alternated  its  sessions  between  New  England 
and  New  Jersey,  and  mel  annually  until  177»».  when 
the  war  inten  ened. 


4P>  PRESBYTERIANISM  IN  THE 

There  was  a  renewed  call  for  a  combination  of  the 
two  denominations  al  the  settling  of  this  field.  The  re- 
ligious portion  of  the  people  consisted  largely  of  Pres- 
byterians and  Congregationalists,  with  a  considerable 
preponderence  of  the  last,  and  these  were  intermingled 
in  most  of  the  several  communities.  Neither  class  by 
itself  was  generally  able  to  maintain  a  church  organiza- 
tion, and  in  competition  must  have  broken  each  other 
down. 

The  spiritual  destitution  of  the  region,  its  prospects 
of  rapidly  increasing  population  and  material  growth 
appealed  to  christian  benevolence  for  help.  Quick  in 
their  sympathies  and  true  to  their  responsibilities,  the 
Genera]  Assembly  and  the  Congregational  Associations 
of  New  England  inaugurated  missions  and  too  intent 
i  m  evangelization  to  think  of  denomination,  they  clasped 
hands  and  confederated  in  the  work. 

In  1790,  the  General  Assembly  "invited  the  minis- 
ters of  the  Congregational  churches  of  New  England  to 
renew  their  annual  Convention  with  the  clergy  of  the 
Presbyterian  Church,"  and  in  1792  a  plan  of  correspond- 
ence with  the  Association  of  Connecticut  was  adopted. 
according  to  which  representatives  from  the  two  bodies 
were  to  sit  in  each  others  meetings  and  take  part  in 
their  councils,  and  in  L794,  al  the  suggestion  of  the 
General  Assembly  and  on  the  motion  of  Dr.  John 
Rodgers,  these  representatives  were  entitled  to  vote. 
This  amendment,  bowever,  was  obviously  unconstitu- 
tional and  jeoparded  the  legal  validity  of  the  proceed- 
ings of  both  bodies,  and  in  L827  <s.  it  was  annulled 
In  L803  a  similar  arrangemenl  was  made  with  the 
vention  ^i  Vermont,  and  with  the  General  Associa- 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  47 

tion  of  New  Hampshire  in  181<>.  and  with  the  General 
Association  of  Massachusetts  in  1811. 

EARLY    MISSIONARY   APPOINTMENTS. 

The  Association  of  Connecticut  and  the  General  As- 
sembly almost  simultaneously  despatched  missionaries 
to  this  region,  and  the  other  New  England  Associations 
followed  in  their  train.  Most  of  the  first  missionaries 
were  appointed  for  the  term  of  a  few  months,  or  wi 
many  of  them  being  pastors  at  the  East  and  only  mak- 
ing tours  for  preaching  and  exploration,  while  others 
remained  on  the  field  and  itinerated  more  or  less 
widely  over  it*.  Tin-  salaries  fixed  for  Presby- 
terians was  140  :i  month.  Under  appointment  by  the 
Genera]  Assembly  in  17'.,,».  Rev.  M- ssrs.  Nathan  Kerr 
andJoshua  Hurt  visited  Cherry  Valley,  Cooperstown, 
Whitestown,  Home.  Clinton,  Chenango,  Tioga  and 
Broome  counties,  and  other  places  in  this  region,  as  well 
as  the  Indian  tribes.  Rev.  Messrs  James  Boyd  and 
Aaron  Condict  followed  the  next  year  on  the  same 
route.     In    L793,+   Rev.   Messrs.  Benjamin  Judd  and 

*  The  fir.-t  Home  Missionary  grant  recorded  in  the  annals  of  the 
American  Presbyterian  Church  was  made  in  171!)  to  the  First 
Presbyterian  Church  of  the  city  of  New  York.  The  return  that 
church  has  math'  is  indicated  by  th<-  fact  that  in  Is?.").  it  contrib- 
uted $12,849  to  Some  Missions,  $20,616  to  Foreign  Missions,  $84,- 
660  to  church  erection,  s:{4,414  to  miscellaneous  objects  <>f  benev- 
olence, 16,812  to  ministerial  education,  $8  Publication 
Board,  si  r,->u  to  ministerial  relief,  $5,193  t<>  Freedmen,  $5,665  to 
the  sustentation  scheme,— being  $208,095  to  benevolenl  objects 
during  a  single  year,     [tspeni  besides  for  its  own  u 

f  Oquago,  (now  Windsor,)  in  Br no  county,  was  the  seal 

colony  of  Oneidas,  and  in  1799  the  Re*  Messi  Fndd  and  Buck 
formed  ■  Congregational  Church  there,  the  first  ehurch  organised 
in  that  region. 


48  PRESBYTER1AN1SM  IN  THE 

Daniel  Buckmore  were  sent  out,  and  between  1795  and 
17(.»(.»,  Messrs.  Porter,  Thatcher,  Semple,  McLain,  John 
OL  >se,  Asa  Dunham,  John  Stevens,  John  Patterson,  David 
Barclay,  Robert  Logan,  John  Lindsley,  James  Force, 
Mathusaleh  Baldwin,  Jonathan  Freeman  and  Robert 
H.  Chapman.  Jedediah  Chapman  was  commissioned 
in  1799,  and  for  successive  years  down  to  1813,  as  a 
sort  of  superintendent,  exploring  the  field,  calling  in 
missionaries  and  designating  their  districts  and  having 
the  general  charge  of  the  work.  In  1800,  Dr.  Perine, 
then  a  Licentiate,  and  well  known  as  one  of  the 
first  corps  of  Professors  at  Auburn  Theological  Semi- 
nary, and  in  1801,  Dr.  Asa  Hillyer,  of  wide  reputation 
as  a  New  Jersey  pastor,  spent  some  months  in  preach- 
ing here. 

Cotemporary  with  these  missionaries  and  their  asso- 
ciates from  the  General  Assembly,  was  a  larger  number 
from  New  England.  As  early  as  1788  or  9,  Rev.  Sam- 
uel Eells,  under  a  commission  from  the  Association  of 
Connecticut,  traveled  as  far  wesl  as  Rome.  In  1793— 1, 
Rev.  Moses  C.  Welsh  and  Rev.  Mr.  Campbell;  in  1795, 
Rev.  Messrs.  Joshua  Knapp,  David  Huntington,  Ammi 
Robbins,  Lemuel  Taylor  and  Levi  Hart ;  in  1796,  Rev. 
Messrs  Nott,  Lyman,  Ely,  Kinne  and  Benedict;  in 
L798,  Rev.  Messrs  Beriah  Hotchkiss  and  Joshua 
Badger,*  in  1799  Walter  King,  and  many  others  in  these 

*  Missionaries  in  the  Susquehannah  Valley  traveled  on  foot  for 
long  distances,  guided  through  the  forests  by  "blazed"  trees.  Mr. 
Badger's  circuit  extended  thirty-five  miles,  from  Great  Bend,  Pa., 
to  Sidney,  N.  Y.  Having  an  appointment  at  Jericho,  (now  Bain- 
bridge,)  his  brother  at  Oquago,  (now  Windsor,)  persuaded  him  to 
take  his  horse,  but  after  riding  half  way,  he  left  the  horse,  as  he 
was  in  haste  to  reach  Jericho,  seven  miles  further  on. 


i 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  49 

different  years,  down  to  the  close  of  the  last  century, 
went  in  various  directions  under  the  same  commission 
and  to  numerous  places. 

In  1799,  and  again  in  1805,  accompanied  the  latter 
time  by  Jeremiah  Day,  who  succeeded  him  in  his 
office  at  Yale  College,  and  was  then  a  tutor  there, 
President  Dwight  made  tours  through  the  country 
and  published  an  account  of  them  in  'his  book  of 
"  Travels,'1  and  in  1803  Rev.  William  Allen,  subse- 
quently the  distinguished  President  of  Bowdoin  Col- 
lege, rode  "  a  solitary  horseman,1'  from  Massachusetts 
to  Niagara  Falls,  preaching  and  taking  notes,  and  on 
his  return,  published  a  "  Plea"  for  the  people. 

Especially  conspicuous  in  that  period  and  long  sub- 
sequently, were  the  name  and  labors  of  Jedediah  Bush- 
nell  and  Seth  Williston,  both  of  whom  came  from  Con- 
necticut. They  were  good  men  and  full  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  and  of  faith,  unspari  1  ig  and  forgetful  of  themselves, 
actively  traversing  <'ur  broad  region  and  by  them 
"much  people  was  added  unto  the  Lord"  They  were 
identified  with  the  origin  and  progress  of  "the  greal 
revival"  in  1799,  and  with  its  continuance  or  repetition 
in  the  immediately  following  years,  and  conspicuous  on 
widely  separate  theatres  of  it.  With  Jedediah  Chap- 
man, of  New  Jersey,  they  form  a  trio  of  missionaries 
unsurpassed  in  tin'  histories  of  new  countries,  and  to 
whom  Central  and  Western  New  Fork  owe  a  debl  of 
gratitude  and  bonor  that,  especially  in  these  memorial 
days,  should  be  distinctly  recognized  Born  at  Chat* 
bam,  Ot,  in  17  1 1.  graduated  a1  Yale  in  L792,apastor 
at  Orangedale,  N.  J.,  Mr.  Chapman  made  Geneva  in 
1800  the  centre  for  bis  missionary  supervision,  which 
c 


50  PRESBYTEMANmi  IN  THE 

he  kept  up  until  his  death  in  1813,  having  charge  of 
the  church  at  Geneva  in  the  meanwhile,  aided  in  this 
for  the  last  year  of  his  life  by  Kev.  Henry  Axtell,  a 
colleague  with  him  in  the  pastorship.  His  journal  de- 
scribes»how  unsparingly  he  prosecuted  his  toilsome  and 
trying  itineracy.  December  23,  1803,  he  writes,  "  I 
rode,  to  Ovid,  about  twenty-four  miles,  in  a  dreadful 
storm  of  hail  and  rain.  My  course  was  in  the  face  of 
the  wind  and  before  I  had  gone  two  miles  my  cloak  was 
stiff  enough  with  ice  to  stand  up."  Converts  under  his 
ministry  were  gathered  with  others  into  churches  by 
him  and  these  were  nursed  with  all  a  parent's  assiduity 
and  affection.  Of  marked  urbanity  and  sensible  and 
intelligent,  he  was  greatly  esteemed  by  his  brethren,  by 
whom  he  was  chosen  in  1803  the  first  Moderator  of  the 
Synod  of  Albany  and  in  1787  Moderator  of  the  Synod 
of  New  York  and  New  Jersey,  then  the  supreme  Judi- 
catory of  our  church. 

Mr.  Bushnell  was  spared  to  see  the  wilderness  which 
he  entered  as  a  pioneer  and  which  he  took  so  promi- 
nent a  lead  in  subduing,  turned  into  a  fruitful  field 
and  flowery  garden,  and  with  the  retrospect  of  a  long 
and  useful  life  and  the  good  hope  of  a  blessed  immor- 
tality, he  passed,  at  Cornwall,  Vt,  August  20,  1846,  to 
hear  the  plaudit  of  his  Lord,  "Well  done,  good  and 
faithful  servant" 

Dr.  Williston.was  born  at  Suffield,  Ct.,  in  1770,  and 
graduated  a1  Dartmouth  in  1791,  taking  high  rank  for 
scholarship  and  intellect.  After  teaching  for  throe 
years,  he  commenced  the  study  of  theology  under  Dr. 
Backus,  of  Somers,  and  on  being  licensed  preached  in  sey- 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  51 

era)  places  in  Connecticut  and  Vermont  He  then  visited 
the  "Chenango  country"  and  prosecuted  there  and  in  "the 
Mili  tary  Tract "  and  elsewhere  in  this  region,  the  mission- 
ary work  by  which  he  was  so  much  distinguished.  He 
settled  at  Lisle  for  ten  years  and  at  Durham,  Greene 
county,  for  eighteen  years,  and  retiring  from  the  pastoral 
charge  in  1828  he  revisited  the  scene  of  his  missionary 
labors  and  quite  actively  engaged  in  them,  particularly 
in  Delaware  county  and  that  vicinity.  He  was  a  ready 
writer  and  published  books,  pamphlets  and  tracts,  on  a 
great  variety  of  subjects,  but  always  those  that  belonged 
to  the  discussions  and  circumstances  of  the  day.  A 
decided  Ilopkinsian  in  his  theology  and  devoted  to  its 
inculcation,  he  still  kept  his  eye  open  to  the  signs  of 
the  times  and  incessantly  strove  to  stir  up  God's  people 
to  improve  seasons  and  opportunities  to  advance  his 
kingdom  and  do  his  work,  and  himself  intent  on  the 
salvation  of  sinners,  he  never  intermitted  his  own  activ- 
ity for  it.  His  earnestness  may  have  too  uniformly 
given  seriousness  and  solemnity  to  bis  appearance,  and 
be  may  have  dealt  disproportionately  with  the  law  at 
the  expense  of  the  gospel,  but  it  was  the  error  of  a 
tender  conscience  and  nol  "1"  a  harsh  heart  I  met  him  at 
the  decline  of  his  life,  at  the  house  of  his  brother.  ;i 
distinguished  law yer  and  Judge  of  Athens,  Pa.  Tall, 
slender  and  dignified,  with  the  manners  of  a  patriarch 
and  the  spiril  of  a  saint,  he  made  the  deepest  Impres 
of  venerableness  upon  me  I  ever  received 

The  northern  division  of  the  held  of  the  Synod  was 
not  settle.!  until  L800.  The  established  missionaries 
mbsl  active  in  the  formation  of  the  firs!  churches  th<  re 
were  Messrs   Nathaniel   Dutton,  John  Taylor  and  Mr. 


52  PfitisSTTERlAXlSM  lit  TBM 

Phelps, from  the  New  Hampshire  and  Massachusetts  Mis- 
sionary Societies,  and  Tra  Hart  and  Lathrop  Thompson, 
from  the  Connecticut  Missionary  Society.  Among  the 
transient  missionaries  was  Rev.  Bennett  Tyler,  afterwards 
President  of  Dartmouth  College  and  then  of  East  Wind- 
sor Seminary,  and  still  better  known  as  the  principal 
opponent  of  Dr.  Nathaniel  W.  Taylor  in  New  England 
polemics.  The  Presbytery  of  Oneida,  within  whose 
bounds  it  lay,  earnestly  sought  to  provide  for  it,  appeal- 
ing to  the  General  Assembly  to  send  help  to  it,  and 
appointing  its  members,  such  as  Messrs.  Dodd  and  Wet- 
more,  to  visit  it,  and  others,  such  as  Messrs,  Dixon  and 
Snowden,  to  labor  in  it. 


MISSIONARY    BOARDS   AND    SOCIETIES    OPERATING    FOR 
THE    FIELD. 

At  the  close  of  the  last  and  the  beginning  of  the  pres- 
ent century,  largely  through  the  published  accounts  of 
revivals  by  Messrs.  Bushnell  and  Williston,  missions 
assumed  such  proportions  that  neither  the  General  As- 
sembly nor  the  New  England  Associations  were  adequate 
to  them  during  the  few  days  of  their  annual  sessions. 
Pennanenl  Committees  for  their  management  were  there- 
fore the  resort  of  the  first,  and  voluntary  Associa- 
tions the  resort  of  the  second.  In  1802  the  Assembly 
mused  "the  Standing  Committee  of  Missions,''  called 
after  1816,  "  The  Board  of  Missions." 

As  early  as  1787,  "  The  Society  for  Propagating  the 
Gospel  among  the  Indians  and  others,"  was  organized 
at  Boston,  under  an  Act  of  the  Massachusetts  Legisla- 
ture.    It  aimed  primarily  and  principally  at  the  evang- 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  53 

elization  of  the  Aborigines  of  the  country,  but  also  em- 
ployed missionaries  for  immigrants  to  it 

In  1798,  the  General  Association  of  Connecticut 
formed  a  society  to  "  Christianize  the  Heathen  in  North 
America  and  promote  Christian  knowledge  in  the  new 
settlements  within  the  United  States,"  the  constitution 
providing  that  the  Association  should  be  the  Society. 
Its  great  work  was  carried  on  in  the  white  communities 
of  this  region,  and  we  are  more  indebted  to  it  than  to 
any  other  one  body  of  Christians  for  introducing  religion 
among  them.  From  four  to  six  of  its  missionaries  were 
sent  here  every  year. 

The  Congregational  Missionary  Society  organized  in 
the  counties  of  Berkshire.  Mass..  and  Columbia,  N.  Y., 
M  to  propagate  the  gospel  in  the  new  settlements  and 
among  the  heathen,"  began  in  1798,  and  was  active  and 
liberal  in  furnishing  means  and  men  for  our  field,  annu- 
ally issuing  one  or  two  commissions  for  it. 

In  1798  the  "Massachusetts  Missionary  Society "  was 
aized  at  Boston,  but  Bent  comparatively  few  mis- 
sionaries here,  and  never  after  1M1. 

"The  N'-.v  Hampshire  Missionary  Society,"  founded 
in  18<>1,  and  "The  Hampshire  Missionary  Society," 
founded  in  1N"^.  with  its  scat  at  Northampton,  Mass., 
likewise  took  part   in  the  work. 

••Tin'  New  York  Missionary  Society,"  with  different 
denominations  represented  in  it.  was  tin-  first  of  the 
voluntary  societies,  and  a  few  months  later  the  "North- 
em  Missionary  Society,"  followed  it.  embracing  the 
region  in  Northern  New  York  east  of  this  Synod,  ami 

little  or  none  within  it. 


54  PRESBYTERIANISM  IN  THE 

In  1809  the  "  Young  Men's  Missionary  Society  of  New 
York  "  was  established  as  an  auxiliary  to  the  New  York 
Missionary  Society,  becoming  independent  of  it  in  1816. 
There  is  reason  to  believe  that  both  of  these  societies 
took  part  in  missions  here,  but  no  specific  information 
of  it  is  had. 


SYMPATHY  IN   THE   MISSIONARY  WORK   ON   THE   FIELD 
BETWEEN   CONGREGATIONALISTS   AND   PRESBY- 
TERIANS, AND  THEIR   CO-OPERATION   IN   IT. 

The  General  Assembly  and  the  New  England  Asso- 
ciations joined  cordially  in  the  missionary  work.  Con- 
necticut was  foremost  of  the  Associations,  and  no 
Presbytery  or  Synod  could  have  more  unreservedly 
cooperated  with  the  Assembly.  Indeed,  Congrega- 
tionalism in  those  days  widely  affected  Presbyterian- 
ism  and  drew  towards  it.  The  missionaries  here  almost 
universally  sympathized  and  cooperated  with  each 
other.  They  scarcely  knew  Presbyterianism  and  Con- 
gregationalism, or  thought  of  each  other  as  Presbyte- 
rians and  Congregational ists.  They  wrought  together 
for  a  common  cause,  and  if  a  distinctive  work  of  either 
was  to  be  performed,  one  did  it  for  the  other  as  freely 
as  for  himself.  Presbyterian  missionaries  organized 
Congregational  Churches  wherever  circumstances  called 
for  them,  and  Congregational  missionaries  organized 
Presbyterian  Churches.  Presbyteries  constantly  di- 
rected Congregational  missionaries  to  their  places  and 
districts  of  labor,  and  often  ordained  pastors  for  Con- 
gregational ( Miuivlies.  Laymen  generally,  perhaps, 
were  more  denominational  than  ministers,  and  mixed 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  55 

as  they  were  in  the  different  communities  with  neither 
Presbyterians  nor  Congregationalists  able  to  support 
churches  by  themselves,  it  is  not  strange  that,  with  the 
affinity  between  Congregational  and  Presbyterian 
bodies,  something  should  be  attempted  to  bring  them 
together. 


PLAN   OF   UNION   OF   1801. 

Soon  after  the  inauguration  in  1795  of  John  Blair 
Smith  as  the  first  President  of  Union  College,  Eliphalet 
Nott,  who  succeeded  him  in  that  office,  passed  through 
Schenectady  on  his  way  from  Connecticut  to  the  "new 
settlements."  The  President  was  a  distinguished  Pres- 
byterian, and  the  young  missionary  a  somewhat  ardent 
Congregationalist.  Both  intensely  sought  the  evan- 
gelization of  the  parts  beyond,  and  conferring  about  it, 
they  both  appreciated  the  need  of  harmony  in  it  be- 
tween their  respective  denominations,  and  finally  con- 
eluded  how  that  might  be  effected.  "The  Plan  of 
Union,"  so  familial-  to  as,  was  substantially  devised  by 
them,  and  perfected  by  observation  and  reflection  and 
counselling,  it  was  adopted  in  1801  by  the  Genera]  As- 
sociation of  Connecticut  and  our  General  Assembly, 
Rev.  Dr.  Ashbel  Green  preparing  the  draft  of  it,  and 
the  younger  Edwards  submitting  the  motion  for  it  in 
the  Assembly.  As  we  well  know,  while  urging  "mu- 
tual forbearance  and  accommodation/1  it  allowed  a 
Congregational  Church  to  settles  Presbyterian  minis- 
ter, according  him  the  righl  of  appeal  to  his  Presbyten 
or  to  a  Mutual  Council  consisting  equally  of  Congre 
gational  and  Presbyterian  members,  and  a  Presbyterian 


56  PRESBYTERIANISM  IN  THE 

Church  to  settle  a  Congregational  minister,  allowing 
him  an  appeal  to  his  Association  or  to  a  Mutual  Coun- 
cil taken  equally  from  the  two  denominations ;  and  it 
allowed  communicants  to  appeal  to  a  Mutual  Council 
or  a  Presbytery ;  and  it  allowed  delegates  from  Congre- 
gational Churches  to  sit  in  Presbyteries  as  ruling  elders. 
For  convenient  reference,  the  whole  text  follows : 

Regulations  adopted  by  the  General  Assembly  in  America  and 
by  the  General  Association  of  the  State  of  Connecticut,  with  a 
view  to  prevent  alienation  and  promote  union  and  harmony  in 
those  new  settlements  which  are  composed  of  inhabitants  from 
those  two  bodies. 

1.  It  is  strictly  enjoined  on  all  their  missionaries  to  the  new 
settlements  to  endeavor,  by  all  proper  means,  to  promote  mutual 
forbearance  and  accommodation  between  those  inhabitants  of  the 
new  settlements  who  hold  the  Presbyterian  and  those  who  hold 
the  Congregational  form  of  church  government. 

2.  If,  in  the  new  settlements,  any  church  of  the  Congregational 
order  shall  settle  a  minister  of  the  Presbyterian  order,  that  church 
may,  if  they  choose,  still  conduct  their  discipline  according  to 
Congregational  principles,  settling  their  differences  among  them- 
selves, or  by  a  council  mutually  agreed  upon  for  that  purpose; 
but  if  any  difficulty  shall  exist  between  the  minister  and  the 
church,  or  any  member  of  it,  it  shall  be  referred  to  the  Pesby- 
tery  to  which  the  minister  shall  belong,  provided  both  parties 
agree  to  it;  if  not,  to  a  council  consisting  of  an  equal  number  of 
Congregationalists,  agreed  upon  by  both  parties. 

3.  If  a  Presbyterian  Church  shall  settle  a  minister  of  Congre- 
gational principles,  that  church  may  still  conduct  its  discipline 
according  to  Presbyterian  principles,  excepting  that  if  a  difficulty 
arise  between  him  and  his  church,  or  any  member  of  it,  the  cause 
shall  be  tried  by  the  Association  to  which  the  said  minister  shall 
belong,  provided  both  parties  agree  to  it;  otherwise  by  a  council, 
one-half  Congregationalists  and  the  other  half  Presbyterians,  mu- 
tually agreed  on  by  the  parties. 

4.  If  any  congregation  consist  partly  of  those  who  hold  the 
Congregational  form  of  discipline  and  partly  of  those  who  hold 
the  Presbyterian  form,  we  recommend  to  both  parties  that  this  be 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  57 

no  obstruction  to  their  meeting  in  one  church  and  settling  a  min- 
ister; and  that  in  this  case  the  church  choose  a  standing  commit- 
tee from  the  communicants  of  said  church,  whose  business  it 
shall  be  to  account  every  member  of  the  church  who  shall  con- 
duct himself  inconsistently  with  the  laws  of  Christianity,  and  to 
give  judgment  on  such  conduct;  and  if  the  person  condemned  by 
their  judgment  be  a  Presbyterian,  he  shall  have  liberty  to  appeal 
to  the  Presbytery;  if  a  Congregationalist,  he  shall  have  liberty  to 
appeal  to  the  body  of  the  communicants  of  the  church;  in  the 
former  case,  the  determination  of  the  Presbytery  shall  be  final, 
unless  the  church  consent  to  a  further  appeal  to  the  Synod  or  to 
the  CJeneral  Assembly;  and  in  the  latter  case,  if  the  party  con- 
demned shall  with  for  a  trial  by  a  Mutual  Council,  the  cause  shall 
be  referred  to  such  a  council;  and  providtd  the  said  standing 
committee  shall  depute  one  of  themselves  to  attend  the  Presby- 
tery, he  may  have  the  same  right  to  sit  and  act  in  the  Presbytery 
as  a  ruling  elder  of  the  Presbyterian  Church. 

This  '"Plan  of  Union'1  deserved  the  encomium  upon 
it  by  the  General  Assembly  that  abrogated  it.  It  was 
indeed  "projected  and  brought  into  operation  by  some 
of  the  wisest  and  best  men  the  Presbyterian  Church 
has  ever  known."  A  cJtef d 'oeuvre  of  Christian  liberality 
and  benevolence,  most  eminently  was  it  such  on  the 
part  of  Congregational ists.  They  had  greatly  the  ad- 
vantage of  us,  for  they  outnumbered  us  on  the  field, 
and   far  surpassed    US  in  the  resources    subject  to  drafts 

for  it.  The  Oneida  Association,  coterminous  with  the 
Oneida  Presbytery,  preceded  it  three  years;  and  Beven 
ministers  and  eight  delegates  from  churches  signed  the 
articles  al  its  organization,  while  the  Presbytery  opened 
its  first  session  with  five  ministers  and  three  elders. 
The  Presbytery  of  Geneva  was  taken  from  the  Presby- 
tery of  Oneida  in   L805,  and    up  to  that    time   the  Pres- 

byterj  added  none  to  its  ministers  and  bul  one  to  its 
churches     In  the  meanwhile,  the  Association  inert 


58  PRESBYTERIANISM  IN  THE 

its  ministers  only  by  one,  but  twenty  delegates  from 
churches  attended  its  meetings.  The  greater  part  of 
the  churches  first  formed  within  the  bounds  of  the 
Synod  were  Congregational,  and  had  there  been  a  strife 
between  the  denominations,  comparatively  few  could 
have  been  Presbyterians.  We  were  the  minority  in 
most  of  the  settlements,  and  our  immigrants  as  a  class 
were  poorer  and  less  thrifty,  and  New  England,  then 
as  now,  the  seat  of  Congregationalism,  surpassed  the 
Middle  States,  then  the  seat  of  Presbyterianism,  in  both 
the  means  and  the  disposition  to  propagate  the  church. 
As  it  was,  the  sentiments  of  Congregationalists,  and 
preeminently  of  Connecticut  Congregationalists,  to- 
wards Presbyterianism,  and  the  prevalent  thought  of 
their  missionaries  that  it  was  better  adapted  to  a  new 
country,  or  to  this  country  when  new,*  and  their  har- 
mony  and  constant  and  free  association  and  combina- 


*The  late  Rev.  John  B.  Hoyt,  for  29  years  pastor  of  the  Second 
Congregational  Church  of  Coventry,  and  a  member  of  the  Pres- 
bytery of  Chenango  from  its  beginning,  describes  himself  as  "of 
strictly  Puritan  descent,  educated  at  Yale,  licensed  by  the  North- 
ern Associated  Presbytery,  ordained  by  the  Union  Association, 
my  feelings  and  prepossessions  were  in  favor  of  Congregational 
government."  His  explanation  in  part  of  the  turning  to  Presby- 
terianism on  his  part  of  the  field,  is:  "  Some  of  the  members  of 
the  Association  (Union)  were  vexed  at  its  want  of  established 
rules.  When  any  new  case  came  up,  we  had  no  rules  to  meet  it. 
But  the  most  potential  cause  was  the  trial  of  the  Rev.  Joshua 
Knight,  of  West  Sherburne,  now  Smyrna.  During  this  trial  the 
brethren  were  as  heretofore  tried  by  the  want  of  rules,  and  at  its 
close  fell  the  need  of  a  judicatory  beyond  the  local  excitement 
and  prejudice  to  which  a  difficult  case  like  that  before  us  might 
be  appealed  or  referred.  Prom  that  trial  Presbytery  was  deter- 
mined on." 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  59 

tion  with  our  missionaries,  and  the  "Plan  of  Union," 
and  other  and  local  plans  of  union,  acted  powerfully 
in  our  favor,  and  virtually  gave  us  the  field.  "  The 
Middle  Association,"  as  already  stated,  in  1810,  sub- 
mitted itself  to  the  plastic  hands  of  the  Albany  Synod 
and  came  forth  Presbyterian.  About  the  same  time 
the  Susquehannah  Association  affiliated  with  the  Mid- 
dle Association  in  the  Onondaga  Presbytery,  or  the 
portion  who  joined  the  Luzerne  Association  were  after- 
wards transferred  with  it  to  the  Susquehannah  Presby- 
tery. In  1812  the  Ontario  Association  "Kesolved,  first, 
That  it  is  very  desirable  that  this  Association  become 
united  with  the  Presbytery  of  Geneva ;"  and  second, 
"That  as  a  means  of  forming  this  union,  it  is  expedient 
that  this  Association  be  dissolved,  and  the  Moderator 
is  hereby  directed  to  declare  it  dissolved  at  the  close  of 
the  session."  The  Union  Association  was  incorporated 
with  the  Chenango  Presbytery  in  1822,  and  in  the  same 
year  the  Oneida  Association  suspended  its  existence, 
the  ministers  and  churches  uniting  with  the  Presbytery 
of  Oneida.  The  Black  River  always  maintained  its 
being  in  form,  but  its  ministers  and  churches  once 
joined  the  St  Lawn-nee  Presbytery. 

Admirable  as  was  the  spirit  of  the  Plan  oi  Union  of 
L801,  and  happy  as  was  its  influence  and  promotive,  in 
a  genera]  way,  of  its  proposed  objects,  its  direel  opera- 
tion was  exceeding^  circumscribed  Very  lew  churches 
were  organized  under  it,  and  next  to  Done  organized  by 
it  existed  at  the  time  of  its  abrogation.  The  work  for 
which  it  was  devised  was  actually  performed  \>\  other 
plans  of  union,  and  preeminently  by  what  is  known  as 
^ The  Accommodation  Plan,"    The  features  of  thai  plan 


60  PRESBTTERIANISM  IN  THE 

and  the  circumstances  of  its  formation,  are  described  in 
the  annexed  extracts  from  the  minutes  of  the  Middle 
Association : 

Commissioners  were  appointed  by  the  Association,  June  2, 1807, 
to  attend  the  meeting  of  the  Synod  at  Cooperstown  the  October 
following,  and  prepare  the  way  for  such  relations  as  might  be 
mutually  useful.  This  overture  was  answered  by  the  following 
letter  from  that  Synod  to  the  Association: 

"Reverend  Brethren:  We  received  your  communication  by 
Rev.  Mr.  Leonard  with  great  pleasure,  and  were  highly  satisfied 
with  the  object  of  his  mission,  which  has  occupied  our  serious 
deliberations.  Situated  as  our  judicatories  are  in  a  new  country, 
rapidly  increasing  in  its  population,  blended  as  our  people  are  in 
the  same  sentiments,  and  holding  the  same  doctrines,  it  is  cer- 
tainly an  object  of  interesting  importance  that  we  should  be 
cemented  together  by  some  intimate  bond  of  union  and  corre- 
spondence. Such  a  union  would  make  us  better  acquainted,  and 
increase  our  attachment  to  one  another  as  servants  of  our  com- 
mon Lord.  It  would  facilitate  the  establishment  of  the  gospel 
in  many  of  the  destitute  settlements  of  our  country,  by  uniting 
our  people  in  one  common  cause,  and  it  would  enable  us  to  com- 
bine our  exertions  more  effectually  in  suppressing  error,  licen- 
tiousness  and  vice,  and  in  promoting  the  great  interests  of  pure 
morality  and  undefiled  religion.  Prompted  by  these  considera- 
tions, and  animated  with  a  desire  to  do  all  in  our  power  to  ad- 
vance the  general  interests  of  the  Redeemer's  Kingdom,  the 
Synod  of  Albany  stand  ready,  with  the  approbation  of  the  General 
Assembly,  to  form  as  intimate  a  connectien  with  your  Association 
as  the  constitution  of  our  church  will  admit.  We  most  cordially 
invite  you  to  become  a  constituent  branch  of  our  body  by  assum- 
ing tlic  characteristic  and  scriptural  name  of  Presbytery,  to  adopt 
our  standards  of  doctrine  and  government,  and  to  sit  and  vote 
with  ns  on  all  the  great  and  interesting  concerns  of  the  church. 
Deeming  the  name,  however,  far  less  interesting  than  the  thing, 
although  of  consequence  to  uniformity  in  the  same  body,  yet 
should  you  be  solicitous  to  retain  yours,  it  will  not  be  considered 
on  our  part  a  bar  to  such  a  union.  Nor  do  we  confine  our  invita 
tion  to  you  as  ministers,  but  we  extend  it  to  delegates  from  your 
•  liinrhts,  whom  we   are  willing   to    receive  as   substantially  the 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  61 

same  with  our  ruling  elders,  to  assist  us  in  our  public  delibera- 
tions and  decisions.  Knowing  the  influence  of  education  and 
habit,  should  the  churches  under  your  care  prefer  transacting 
their  internal  concerns  in  their  present  mode  of  Congregational 
government,  we  assure  them  of  our  utmost  cheerfulness  in  leav- 
ing them  undisturbed  in  the  administration  of  that  government, 
unless  they  shall  choose  to  alter  it  themselves. 

"  Should  you  accede  to  this  plan  of  union  and  correspondence, 
and  our  General  Assembly  permit  us  to  form  it,  which  we  are 
disposed  to  believe  they  readily  will,  we  anticipate  the  auspicious 
period  as  just  at  hand,  when  all  the  Congregational  and  Presby- 
terian Churches  in  this  Northern  region  will  form  one  great  pha- 
lanx against  the  common  enemy,  and  combine  their  exertions  to 
advance  the  mediatorial  kingdom  of  our  exalted  Lord. 

"  We  are,  reverend  brethren,  with  sentiments  of  respect  and 
esteem,  yours  sincerely. 

"  By  order  of  Synod,  Sam'l  F.  Snow  den,  Moderator. 

"Cooperstown,  October  9,  1807." 

At  the  annual  meeting  of  the  Association  at  Cazenovia,  June 
7th,  1808,  the  foregoing  letter  was  received,  and  it  was  voted 
unanimously  that  this  body  do  accede  to  the  plan  of  union  with 
the  Presbyterian  Church  in  United  States  on  the  conditions  pro- 
posed by  the  Synod  of  Albany  in  their  letter  of  October  9th,  1807. 

At  the  same  meeting  of  the  Association  a  delegation  was 
appointed  to  attend  the  Synod  of  Albany,  at  Aurora,  in  the  fol- 
lowing October,  for  the  purpose  of  completing  the  union,  which 
was  accordingly  done.  This  union  existed  with  no  variation  until 
in  Association,  at  Pompey  East  Hollow,  it  was  unanimously 
resolved  to  request  Synod  to  divide  the  Association  so  as,  with 
the  Presbytery  of  Geneva,  to  make  three  Presbyteries,  and  so 
constitute  the  Synod  of  Geneva.  Reeordt  Onondaga  Pretbytefg 
1  : 8-11. 

The  expectation  of  the  Synod  tlmt  the  arrangement  would  be 
ratified  by  tin-  General  Assembly,  was  fulfilled  i»y  the  prompt  and 

cordial  action  of  that  body  at  its  in-xt  pCflPJOD. 

LOCAL    PLANS  OF    UNION. 

Differenl  Presbyteries  framed  plans  of  union  for  the 
churches   in  their  several   territories,  and  also  for  the 


62  PRESBYTER1ANISM  IN  TtiE 

union  with  them  of  the  churches  about  them,  and  also 
plans  with  single  churches. 

Thus,  for  example,  one  was  proposed  by  the  Pres- 
bytery of  Oneida  in  1814  to  the  Oneida  Associa- 
tion, and  adopted  also  by  St.  Lawrence  Presbytery 
in  1818,  conceding  the  form  of  Congregational  Church 
government  wherever  preferred  and  a  representation  in 
Presbytery,  but  requiring  the  full  keeping  of  records 
and  their  annual  submission  to  Presbytery  for  exami- 
nation, and  while  commending  "  the  right  of  appeal  in 
its  full  extent  as  a  valuable  privilege,"  permitting  any 
church  that  so  desired  to  restrict  it  to  the  Presbytery, 
"and  admitting  the  ministers  of  the  Association''  as 
constituent  members  of  the  Presbytery,  and  in  all  re- 
spects amenable  to  it ;  and  in  1821  this  was  reaffirmed 
with  some  slight  alterations. 

In  1826  the  Presbytery  of  Otsego  {Records  1 :  328-30) 
voted : 

1st.  Every  Congregational  Church  already  connected  with  us,  or 
which  wishes  to  connect  itself  with  us,  may  settle  its  own  difficul- 
ties, receive  members,  enforce  all  acts  of  discipline,  and  manage 
its  own  affairs  according  to  laws  and  usages  established  in  Con- 
gregational Churches,  or  by  a  committee  chosen  from  among 
themselves,  invested  with  judicial  powers.  2d.  If  an  existing 
difficulty  cannot  be  thus  settled,  it  shall  be  submitted  to  Presby- 
tery, and  the  decision  of  Presbytery  shall  be  final,  unless  either 
party  shall  choose  to  appeal  to  a  higher  Judicatory.  3d.  If  any 
difficulty  arise  between  a  member  of  this  Presbytery  and  a  Con- 
gregational Church,  or  members  of  a  Congregational  Church  of 
which  he  is  the  pastor,  said  difficulty  shall  be  submitted  to  the 
decision  <>f  the  Presbytery,  subject,  however,  to  the  control  of  a 
higher  Judicatory.  4th.  The  records  of  the  church  and  the  church 
reports  shall  be  annually  produced  to  the  Presbytery  and  sub- 
jected to  examination.  5th.  Ministers  shall  be  installed  over 
Congregational  Churches  in  connection  with  us  by  the  Presby- 
tery,  and    the   dissolution  of   the   pastoral   relation   thus   formed 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  63 

shall  be  done  by  the  Presbytery.  6th.  It  is  earnestly  recom- 
mended to  every  Congregational  Church  connected  with  us  to 
prepare  and  exhibit  to  Presbytery  at  our  next  session  a  written 
code  of  laws  for  our  sanction,  by  which  they  shall  be  governed, 
and  which  shall  be  produced  to  Presbytery  in  all  cases  of  appeal. 

In  1828  the  Presbytery  of  Chenango  framed  a  plan 
of  union  with  it  by  Congregational  Churches,  accord- 
ing to  which  the  decisions  of  the  Presbyteiy  were  bind- 
ing on  the  churches,  and  they  were  entitled  to  repre- 
sentatives in  it,  with  "all  the  privileges  of  ruling 
elders;"  the  churches  retained  the  right  to  manage 
"their  own  internal  concerns,"  but  were  required  to 
keep  records  of  their  proceedings  and  submit  them  an- 
nually to  the  Presbytery  for  "inspection  and  revision;" 
the  members  of  the  churches  were  permitted  to  appeal 
to  the  Presbytery,  but  not  to  a  higher  Judical.  .1  v. 
except  with  the  consent  of  the  churches:  and  in  trying 
appeals  from  a  Congregational  Church,  the  Presbytery 
was  to  be  controlled  by  the  rules  of  that  particular 
church,  and  every  such  church  on  being  received  by 
the  Presbytery  was  to  furnish  it  with  a  copy  of  its 
rules  ;  and  in  1832  the  Presbytery  <  Rec  1  :  13)  of  Dela- 
ware provided  for  a  connection  of  Congregational 
Churches  with  it  on  condition  thai  they  were  repre- 
sented in  it,  and  kept  full  records  and  submitted  them 
for  examination  by  the  Presbytery,  while  the]  were 
allowed  to  manage  their  own  business  for  themselves, 
conducting  it,  however,  according  to  standing  ruL 
copy  of  which  was  t<>  be  deposited  with  the  Stated 
Clerk,  ami  their  decisions  were  final  unless  they  referred 
them  to  the  Presbytery  for  revision,  and  then  the  Pres- 
bytery was  n"t  to  ac1  as  an  advisory  Council,  but  as 
an  authoritatrs <■  Judicatory, 


64  PllESBTTERTANTSM  IN  THE 

And  so,  still  further  for  example,  in  1806  the  Pres- 
bytery of  Oneida  ratified  a  plan  for  connecting  Trenton, 
one  of  its  churches,  with  the  "  Congregational  brethren 
of  Steuben,"  pronouncing  it  "nearly  similar  to  that 
proposed  by  the  General  Assembly  and  the  General 
Association  of  Connecticut,"  So  too  in  1834  the  Pres- 
bytery of  Cortland  stipulated  to  receive  the  church  at 
Lisle  on  its  agreeing  to  send  delegates  to  the  Presby- 
tery and  submitting  its  records  for  examination  ;  to 
settle  and  dismiss  ministers  according  to  the  directory ; 
to  accept  the  watch  and  care  of  the  Presbytery,  so  that 
it  should  "not  recede  from  its  faith  and  covenant;" 
and  retaining  the  right  to  discipline  its  own  members, 
except  in  cases  that  were  specially  referred  to  the  Pres- 
bytery, when  the  decisions  of  that  body  were  to  be 
final  And  so  likewise  in  1839  the  Presbytery  of  Del- 
aware admitted  the  church  at  Franklin,  it  being  stipu- 
lated between  the  two  that  "  annually,  and  oftener  if 
requested,"  the  church  should  send  its  records  to  the 
Presbytery  for  examination,  together  with  statistical 
reports,  and  be  represented  by  delegates  at  its  meet- 
ings :  that  it  should  administer  its  own  affairs  for  itself, 
and  thai  its  decisions  should  be  conclusive,  except 
when  it  allowed  references  to  the  Presbytery,  from 
whose  decisions  there  should  be  no  appeal ;  and  a  dec- 
laration of  the  church  was  allowed  to  be  incorporated 
in  the  compact,  that  it  did  lvnot  recognize  or  acknowl- 
edge  any  higher  Judicatory  of  the  Presbyterian  Church 
than  the  Presbytery  of  Delaware." 

There  was  a  degree  of  irregularity  and  assumption 
in  these  l<»cal  arrangements,  but  the  Presbyteries  were 


SYNOT)  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  65 

innocent  of  known  disorder  and  intentional  usurpation, 

and  did  not  violate  the  principles  of  ;'the  plan  of 
union'"  adopted  by  the  Assembly,  and  of  "the  accom- 
modation plan"  ratified  by  it. 

INTERPRETATIONS  OF  THE    PLANS   OF   UNION. 

The  interpretations  of  both  the  former  and  the  latter 
from  time  to  time  by  the  Presbyteries,  and  their  deci- 
sions as  to  what  was  allowable  or  otherwise  under  them, 
were  judicious  and  satisfactory. 

The  following  message  to  the  First  Church  in  Pom- 
pey  was  sent  by  the  Presbytery  of  Onondaga,  at  its  first 
session  :•  "Be  assured  that  there  is  nothing  in  our  con- 
stitution, or  rules,  or  votes,  nor  anything  in  our  inten- 
tions, which  makes  the  individuals  of  the  churches,  in 
their  individual  character  and  capacity,  responsible  to 
Presbytery  or  disciplinable  by  this  body.  Presbytery 
has  no  hold  on  the  individual,  but  only  on  the  church 
us  a  church,  because  the  church,  not  the  individual,  is 
a  member  of  this  body."     Onondaga  Records  1  :20. 

And  in  1  ^;;  1  the  same  Presbytery  decided  that  only 
those  Congregational  Churches  have  an  ecclesiastical 
relation  to  the  Presbytery  who  are  connected  with  it 
on  the  accommodation  plan,  and  who  have  a  standing 
committee;  that  standing  committee-men  are  entitled 
in  tl  »na  of  the  Presbytery  t<>  all   the  privi 

<\rv<,  hut  an-  not  eligible  to  the  office  of  Commis- 
sioners to  the  General  Assembly;  that  all  regular  and 
orthodox  Congregational  Churches  within  its  bounds 
might  l>e  represented  in  the  Presbytery,  but  that  only 
committee-men  could  vote  there;  that  all  churches 
c2 


66  PRESBYTERIAN  ISM  IN  THE 

connected  with,  the  Presbytery  on  the  "  accommodation 
plan"  are  amenable  to  the  Presbytery  in  all  respects  the 
same  as  Presbyterian  Churches,  except  that  the  Pres- 
bytery has  no  right  to  interfere  with  their  internal  gov- 
ernment.     Onondaga  Records  3  :  311. 

The  practice  had  grown  up  on  the  field  to  allow 
ministers  to  be  members  of  both  Associations  and 
Presbyteries,  and  in  1826  the  Presbytery  of  St.  Law 
rence  pronounced  against  it,  and  in  1866  the  Presbytery 
of  Delaware  called  one  of  its  members  to  account  for 
it,  and  adopted  a  rule,  which  that  member  himself 
drafted,  prohibiting  it. 

In  1829,  {Records  5 :  176)  the  Presbytery  of  Oneida 
disavowed  jurisdiction  over  individuals  who  had  not 
by  their  own  consent  and  choice  placed  themselves 
under  its  care,  and  declared  that  Congregational 
Churches  connected  with  it  could  reject  the  rules  of 
our  directory  in  their  proceedings,  provided  they  did 
not  violate  the  principles  of  the  Congregational  form 
of  government  and  acted  upon  in  the  practice  of  Con- 
gregational Churches. 

WORKINGS   OF   PLANS-  OF   UNION. 

These  plans  of  union  were  human  devices,  and  im- 
perfect of  course,  and  in  some  respects  and  in  some 
cases  they  worked  in  felicitously,  but  they  were 
prompted  by  a  sincere  desire  to  promote  evangelical 
religion  of  the  Calvin  is  tic  type,  and  were  called  for  by 
the  exigencies  of  the  situation,  and  contrived  by  the 
best  minds  of  Presbyterianisin  and  Congregationalism, 
They  fulfilled  all  just  expectations  of  them,  and  enough 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  67 

to  excite  the  profoundcst  gratitude.  They  did  not  col- 
lect together  the  adherents  of  the  two  churches  in  every 
feeble  community,  and  they  did  not  always  keep  them 
harmonious  when  they  were  banded.  Sectarianism 
existed  then,  as  ever  before  and  since,  and  resisted 
amalgamation,  or  cropped  out  from  it;  but,  on  the 
whole,  an  immense  work  of  assimilation  and  combina- 
tion was  performed,  and  a  work  that  was  also  the  im- 
perious demand  of  the  circumstances  and  times.  Pres- 
byterians especially  have  reason  to  be  satisfied  with 
their  operation.  Without  guile  in  scheming  for  such  a 
result,  without  any  anticipation  of  it,  by  our  fathers, 
their  ecclesiastical  contribution  lias  been  most  dispro- 
portionately to  us.  They  made  Central  and  Western 
New  York  the  Lebanon  of  our  church,  and  turned 
Congregationalism  here  into  a  nursery  for  Presbyte- 
rianism. 

An  attempt  at  numeration,  so  as  to  state  the  facts 
with  the  accuracy  of  precise  figures,  succeeded  indif- 
ferently, but  thus  much  can  be  stated  quite  positively: 
The  rolls  of  all  the  Presbyteries  in  the  field  of  the 
Synod  from  the  beginning  contain  the  names  of  nearly 
or  quite  1,000  ministers,  and  of  Dearly  or  quite  ;,',,,  I 
churches.  The  ministers  cannot  be  traced  extensively 
in  their  ecclesiastical  changes.  At  the  lowest  estimate, 
one-third  of  the  churches  were  entered  through  plans 
of  anion,  and   perhaps  more.     The  estimate  is  based 

OD  the  fact  thai  nearly  all  the  churches  of  Onondaga 
Presbytery  in  Onondaga  county  came  in  originally 
from    the    Middle    Association,    and    nearly    all    of    the 

churches  of  bhe  Susquehannah  Association  in  Broome 
and  Tioga  counties  followed  them;  that  nearly  all  the 


68  PRE8BYTEMANISM  IN  THE 


churches  in  Chenango  Presbytery  came  in  from  the 
Union  Association,  which  was  amalgamated  with  it, 
and  that  nearly  half  of  the  churches  in  Madison,  Otsego 
and  Delaware  counties  came  first  into  Presbyteries  from 
this  last  mentioned  Association,  while  quite  certainly 
one-half  of  the  early  churches  of  Presbyteries  in  Os- 
wego, St.  Lawrence,  Jefferson,  Lewis,  Herkimer  and 
Oneida  counties  were  Congregational. 

The  proportion  is  reduced  by  the  churches  brought 
in  since,  so  that  it  is  safe  to  put  the  plan-of-union 
churches  at  one-third,  or  one  hundred. 

Now,  of  the  two  hundred  Presbyterian  Churches  but 
three  became  Congregational.-  The  records  of  the 
Presbyteries  report  the  dismission  of  31  churches  to 
Associations,  leaving  69  once  Congregational  Churches 
in  this  body;  and  the  rolls  of  Associations  within  the 
Synod's  bounds  contain  the  names  of  but  18  of  the  31, 
showing  that  13  of  them  must  have  been  so  feeble  that 
they  soon  expired. 

Congregationalism  had  the  start  of  Presbyterianism 
in  our  region,  and  incomparably  better  backing ;  and 
yet  the  latter  counts  this  year  184  ministers  and  the 
former  84;  167  churches  and  the  latter  103;  the  sum 
of  $55,917.30  as  benevolent  contributions,  and  the  latter 
$11,047.47. 

Can  we  ascribe  the  disparity  to  a  difference  in  their 
general  or  special  adaptation  to  increase  and  progress? 
Rather  is  it  the  result  of  plans  of  union. 

ABROGATION  OF  PLANS  OF  UNION. 

It  is  the  distinction  between  human  and  divine 
agencies  thai  oura  soon  wear  out,  while  the  Lords  last. 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  69 

Eminently  Christian  and  judicious  as  were  the  arrange- 
ments of  our  fathers  and  of  the  New  England  fathers 
to  bring  together  their  brethren  in  the  new  settlements 
here,  and  happily  and  usefully  as  they  long  proceeded, 
they  exhausted  their  virtue,  and  the  time  came  to  dis- 
pense with  them.  They  ceased  to  harmonize  and  com- 
bine the  parties  to  them,  and  were  often  the  occasion 
of  discord  and  alienation;  and  besides,  there  was  no 
longer  need  of  them.  Each  denomination  was  able  to 
stand  by  itself  in  our  several  communities,  or  was  easily 
able  to  provide  for  its  own,  and  church  development 
was  hindered  by  union,  as  it  impaired  responsibility 
and  prevented  the  freedom  every  one  feels  in  his  own 
home,  with  no  other  family  to  share  it  with  him.  And 
some  disorders  were  bred  and  some  corruptions,  from 
which  separation  was  the  only  practicable  relief,  and 
against  which  it  was  the  only  adequate  security.  We 
may  not  approve  of  the  method  in  which  it  was  accom- 
plished, but  all  of  us  are  glad  that  the  plan  of  anion 
was  dissolved.  And  our  Congregational  brethren  sym- 
pathize with  us.  for  :M  their  lirst  General  Convention, 
held  a1  Albany  in   L852,  and   ili«-  first  of  course  after 

the  (ieiieral   Assembly's    action    in    1837,  they  formally 

announced  their  concurrence  in  it. 


"THE    EXCISION         ITS    IMMEDIATE    ANTECEDENTS, 

For  several  years  prior  t<>  the  dissolution  ft'  the  plan 
of  union,  our  church  throughout  the  Onited  States  had 
been  greatly  distracted,   until   at    last    its  Bervio 
religion    hardly   preponderated  over  the  evil   it  occa- 
sioned,  while  its  numbers  considerablj   declined,     in 


70  PRESBYTEMAN1SM  IN  THE 

Is:;.",  n  reported  a  membership  of  283,580,  and  in  L837, 

220,587,  being  a  loss  in  four  years  of  13,023. 

There  is  no  need  of  passing  judgment  on  the  parties 
in  confliet,  and  it  would  be  an  impracticable  task,  for 
aeither  could  claim  unanimity  among  its  adherents  in 
regard  to  all  the  contested  points.  The  most  that  could 
be  said  of  the  mass  of  each  was,  that  they  agreed  more 
with  it  and  less  with  the  other.  These  contested  points 
were:  1.  The  combination  of  Congregationalists  with 
Presbyterians,  provided  for  in  the  plan  of  union  and 
practiced  under  kindred  arrangements.  2.  The  irregu- 
larities and  extravagancies  connected  with  revivals  of 
religion,  and  extending  to  the  temperance  and  anti- 
slavery  enterprises,  alleged  to  prevail  particularly  in 
the  churches  throughout  this  region,  and  laxness  in 
Licentnres  and  ordinations  here,  and  in  the  reception  by 
Presbyteries  of  ministers  from  other  bodies.  3.  Er- 
rors in  doctrine,  charged  principally  on  ministers  and 
churches  here,  but  also  on  large  numbers  throughout 
the  land  ;  and  1.  The  method  of  conducting  the  mis- 
sionary and  other  benevolent  operations  of  the  church, 
the  question  being  whether  this  should  be  through 
voluntary  societies,  composed  .of  individual  members  of 
(litTerent  ( Christian  denominations,  and  responsible* alone 
to  those  constituents,  or  through  ecclesiastical  boards, 
organized  and  supervised  and  controlled  by  the  Gene- 
ral Assembly. 

The  parties  w  ere  BO  evenly  balanced  that  the  majority 

in  the  General  Assembly  passed  back  and  forth  be- 
tween them,  and  was  almost  always  small,  and  this 
stimulated  both.  The  post  u  re  of  alia  irs  madethe  ''Old 
Seh«.ol"  aggressive  tor   the  most   part,  and   the  u  New 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW    YORK.  71 

School"  defensive  for  the  most  part.  Tt  fell  to  the  first 
to  present  and  press  charges,  and  to  the  second  to  repel 
them,  and  this  proceeded  in  various  ways  and  on  vari- 
ous occasions  up  to  1834,  when  a  minority  of  the  Gen- 
eral Assembly  drew  up  ;t  paper  styled  the  "Act  and 
Testimony,"  rehearsing  the  accusations  that  bad  been 
sounding  louder  and  louder  for  successive  years,  and 
suggesting  means  of  correcting  alleged  evils,  and  call- 
ing on  Synods.  Presbvn  —ions,  ministers  and 
elders,  who  approved  of  the  paper  to  sign  it.  and  call- 
ing a  Convention  consisting  of  delegates  from  Presby- 
teries or  minorities  of  Presbyteries  to  meet  at  Pitts- 
burg immediately  before  the  sitting  of  the  General  As- 
sembly there,  May.  L835.  The  document  and  the 
measures  it  proposed  were  criticised  in  the  Princeton 
Review  and  disapproved  of  by  the  Princeton  pro- 
irs  and  the  many  of  the  same  school  with  them. 
The  Convention  was  held,  however,  with  ;i  representa- 
tion from  forty-one  Presbyteries  and  thirteen  minori- 
ties of  Presbyteries,  and  drew  up  a  list  of  errors  and 
abuses,  and  presented  it  for  the  consideration  of  the 
General  Assembly,  and  this  body  took  action,  to  some 
extent,  in  accordance  with  it.  The  Assembly  of  1886 
was  unfavorable  to  the  memorialists,  and  arrangements 
were  made  far  a  Convention  at  Philadelphia,  pre 
ing  the  Assembly  of  1887,  for  which  the  most  vigor- 
ous public  and  private  preparations  were  made  It 
consisted  of  L24  members,  appointed  l»v  '<\  Pn 
teries,  and  of  eighl  minorities  of  Presbyteries,  moei 
of  them  being  Commissioners  elect  of  the  approaching 
Assembly,  and  continued  in  session  for  an  entire  wi 
A   "testimony  and  memorial"   wi  ented  to  that 


72  PRESBYTERIANISM  IN  THE 

body,  reciting  the  grievances  felt  by  the  Convention, 
and  picturing,  in  vivid  colors,  the  divided  state  of  the 
church,  and  proposing  six  means  of  relief:  1.  Abro- 
gating  the  plan  of  union.  2.  "Discountenancing"  the 
American  Home  Missionary  Society  and  the  American 
Education  Society,  and  "preventing  their  operations,  as 
Ear  as  possible,  within  our  ecclesiastical  limits."  3. 
Bringing  immediately  into  order,  or  dissolving,  or  ex- 
cluding from  the  Presbyterian  Church  every  Church, 
Presbytery  or  Synod,  not  organized  on  Presbyterian 
principles.  4.  Requiring  an  examination  in  theology 
and  church  government,  as  well  as  in  personal  piety 
and  ministerial  qualifications,  of  all  applicants  from 
other  denominations  for  admission  to  Presbyteries,  and 
an  explicit  adoption  by  them  of  our  confession  of 
faith  and  form  of  government.  5.  The  immediate  dis- 
ciplining of  ministers  chargeable  with  the  complained 
of  errors  and  disorders,  and  the  immediate  trial  of  Pres- 
byteries and  Synods  that  refused  to  discipline  those  of 
thei  r  members  w  ho  were  charged  with  them.  6.  The 
announcing  to  National  Societies,  other  than  those  pre- 
viously named,  that  they  were  expected  to  "  use  great 
caution  in  the  selection  of  their  agents  within  the 
bounds  of  our  church,  and  that  it  ought  to  be  regarded 
as  peculiarly  unkind  in  them  to  give  their  administration 
a  bias  againsl  its  strictest  order  and  soundest  princi- 
ples.'' The  Assembly  fully  complied  with  these  pro- 
posals of  the  memorialists.  The  plan  of  union  was 
thus  abrogated,  and  as  the  asserted  consequence,  this 
Synod,  together  with  the  Synods  of  Geneva,  Genesee 
and  Western  Reserve  were  "declared  to  be  out  of  the 
ecclesiastical  oonnectioi]  of  the  Presbyterian  Church," 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  j  -I 

and  ''not  in  form  or  in  fact  an  integral  portion  of  said 
church,"  while  -'the  urgency"  for  disowning  them  was 
stated  to  have  been  "greatly  increased  by  the  gross  dis- 
orders which  are  ascertained  to  have  prevailed  in  these 
Synods." 

AUBURN   CONTENTION. 

A  great  sensation  was  produced  by  these,  arts,  and  a 
Convention  met  at  Auburn,  August  17.  lso7.  to  consult 
about  the  course  to  be  pursued  and  the  measures  to  be 
adopted  by  the  excluded  bodies  and  their  sympathsers 
throughout  the  land.  It  consisted  of  164  lay  and  cler- 
ical delegates,  L50  of  them  appointed  by  Presbyteries, 
and  the  remainder  by  minorities  of  Presbyteries,  and 
among  them  a  large  number  of  prominence  in  the  church 
and  of  known  conservatism.  Dr.  James  Richards 
Auburn  Seminary,  was  chosen  President,  and  Dr.  Joseph 
Penny,  President  of  Hamilton  College,  one  of  the  Vice 
Presidents.  And  among  the  members  were  like  pat- 
terns of  orthodoxy  and  order,  such  as  Luther  Balsey, 
Seth  Smith.  Levi  Parsons  and  .lames  II.  Hotchkin,and 
men  of  gifts  and  distinction,  such  as  Lyman  Beecher, 
Samuel  Hanson  Cox,  Thomas  Macauly,  Dr.  Hillyer 
and  Judge  William  Jessup.  The  Convention  a.— cm- 
bled  with  feelings  of  great  anxiety.  There  was  little 
h<»pe  of  harmony  in  counsel  and  agreement  in  policy, 
and  in  the  independence  of  opinion  and  frankness 
expression  to  which  we.  in  this  region,  have  been 
trained,  the  discussions  were  animated  and  protracted. 
The  conclusions,  however,  were  unanimous,  and  the 
Convention  suspended  business  ami  engaged  in  Bolemn, 
yet  joyous  praise,  and  recommending  the  observance  of 


74  PRESB  YTERIA  NISM  IN  THE 

a  day  of  Easting,  humiliation  and  prayer  in  view  of  the 
dissensions  in  the  church,  finally  adjourned. 

That  Convention  was  of  incalculable  importance  to 
the  "  New  School"  branch  of  the  church.  The  plan  of 
procedure  marked  out  for  it,  and  subsequently  pursued, 
probably  saved  it  from  disintegration,  and  it  so  put  it 
on  record  by  the  papers  adopted,  that  the  Christian 
world  could  understand  its  principles  and  views.  The 
excluded  ministers,  communicants,  Synods,  Presbyter- 
ies and  churches  were  counselled  to  "  retain  their  pres- 
ent organization  and  connection  without  seeking  any 
other."  and  the  Presbyteries  to  -'send  their  Commission- 
ers to  the  next  General  Assembly,  as  usual,"  and  a 
committee  was  appointed  to  correspond  and  confer  on  the 
general  state  of  the  church  and  to  take  measures  to  secure 
the  ends  proposed  by  the  Convention."  The  exigency 
demanded  a  general  scheme  that  would  be  acquiesced 
in,  and  a  responsible  agency  to  put  it  into  execution,  and 
these  were  furnished  here  The  papers  drafted,  and 
which  form  the  expose, — the  description  and  definition 
of  the  "  New  School,"  in  the  matters  under  controversy, 
treat  of :  1st  The  exclusion  of  the  Synods  from  the 
Presbyterian  Church,  as  the  consequence  of  an  abroga- 
tion of  the  plan  of  union  of  1801,  and  upon  charges  of 
heterodoxy  and  disorder,  prepared  by  Judge  Jessup. 
2d.  The  rights  of  ministers  and  members  of  the  Pres- 
byterian Church,  their  guaranty  and  protection,  and  the 
way  in  which  they  may  be  impaired,  forfeited  or  taken 
away,  prepared  by  Dr.  Cox.  3d.  "The  unhappy  cir- 
cumstances in  which  a  portion  of  the  church  was 
placed  by  tin'  late  action  of  the  General  Assembly," 
prepared    by   Dr.  Beecher.     4th.  The  doctrines    "be*- 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  75 

lieved  and  maintained  lyy  that  portion  of  the  Church, 
declared  by  the  late  General  Assembly  not  to  be  a  con- 
stituent part  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  the  United 
States,"  prepared  by  Dr.  Halsey.  oth.  "  Facts  in  rela- 
tion to  the  formation  and  character  of  the  churches 
within  the  exscinded  Synods,  prepared  by  Rev.  Stephen 
Peet. 

The  paper  on  the  formation  and  character  of  the 
churches  in  the  exscinded  Synods,  notices  the  fact  that 
the  great  majority  of  them  in  this  State  were  strictly 
Presbyterian,  and  that  the  small  remainder  were  orga- 
nized, not  under  the  plan  of  union  of  1801,  but  under 
a  special  arrangement  with  the  Synod  of  Albany,  rati- 
fied by  the  General  Assembly,  and  popularly  styled 
the  "Accommodation  Plan."  and  it  argues  that  inas- 
much as  the  organization  of  these  churches  was  due 
in  no  sense  and  to  no  extent  to  the  plan  of  union  of 
1801.  its  abrogation  could  have  no  effect  upon  their 
connection  with  the  Presbyterian  body  in  the  United 
Stat<-. 

The  following  preamble  and  resolutions  composed 
the  paper  on  doctrines  : 

Whereas,  It  is  declared  in  the  " Circular  Letter"  of  the  late 
General  Assembly  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  "to  all  the  churches 
of  Jesus  Christ,  thai  very  serious  and  alarming  errors  and  dis- 
orders" have  long  prevailed  in  the  bounds  of  the  exscinded 
Synods  and  other  portions  of  the  church,  and  as  the    late  General 

Assembly  appears  to  have  been  Influenced  in  deciding  on  the 

of  these  Synods  by  these  alleged  errors  and  disorders,  therefore 

Resolved,  1.  That  while  we  bear  In  mind  that  with  the  e\eitc- 
lneiit  of  extensive  revivals,  indiscret ions  art-  sometimes  intermin- 
gled,  and  that  in  the  attempt  to  avoid  a  ruinous   practical  Antino- 

mianism,  human  obligation  is  sometimes  urged  in  a  manner  that 

favors  Arminian  errors,  vet    we    are    bound    to    declare   that    such 


76  PRESBYTERIANIaM  IN  THE 

errors  and  irregularities  have  never  been  sanctioned  by  these 
Synods  or  Presbyteries.  That  the  prejudice  has  arisen  in  a  great 
degree  from  censorious  and  exaggerated  statements,  and  from  the 
conduct  of  persons  not  in  connection  with  the  Presbyterian 
Church;  that  all  such  departures  from  the  sound  doctrine  and 
order  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  we  solemnly  disapprove,  and 
when  known,  deem  it  our  duty  to  correct  by  every  constitutional 
method. 

2  That  as  the  declaration  of  the  religious  sentiments  of  the 
Syuods  and  Presbyteries  which  we  represent,  we  cordially  em- 
brace the  confession  of  faith  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  as  con- 
taining the  system  of  doctrine  taught  in  the  Holy  Scriptures,  as 
understood  by  the  church  ever  since  the  "  Adopting  Act"  of  1729, 
viz  :  And  in  case  any  minister  of  this  S ;.  nod,  or  any  candidate  for 
the  ministry  shall  have  any  scruple  with  respect  to  any  article  or 
articles  of  said  confession,  he  shall  in  time  of  making  said  declar- 
ation, declare  his  scruples  to  the  Synod  or  Presbytery,  who  shall, 
notwithstanding,  admit  him  to  the  exercise  of  the  ministry  within 
our  bounds,  and  to  ministerial  communion,  if  the  Synod  or 
Presbytery  shall  judge  his  scruples  not  essential  or  necessary  in 
doctrine,  worship  or  government. 

3.  That,  in  accordance  with  the  above  declaration,  and  also  to 
meet  the  charges  contained  in  the  before-mentioned  circular  and 
other  published  documents  of  the  late  General  Assembly,  this 
Convention  cordially  disapprove  and  condemn  the  list  of  errors 
condemned  by  the  late  General  Assembly,  and  adopt  as  the  ex- 
pression of  their  own  sentiments,  and  as  they  believe,  the  preva- 
lent sentiments  of  the  churches  of  these  Synods  on  the  points  in 
question,  the  list  of  true  doctrines  adopted  by  the  minority  of  the 
said  Assembly  in  their  "protest"  on  this  subject,  as  follows  : 

1.  God  permitted  the  introduction  of  sin,  not  because  he  was 
unable  to  prevent  it  consistently  with  the  moral  freedom  of  his 
creatures,  but  for  wise  and  benevolent  reasons,  which  he  has  not 
revealed. 

2.  Election  to  eternal  life  is  not  founded  on  a  foresight  of  faith 
Mid  obedience,  but  is  a  sovereign  act  of  God's  mercy,  whereby, 
according  to  the  counsels  of  his  own  will,  he  has  chosen  some  to 
salvation,  "yet  so  as  hereby  neither  is  violence  done  to  the  will 
of  the  creatures,  nor  Is  the  liberty  or  contingency  of  second  causes 


SYXOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  77 

taken  away,  but  rather  established,"  nor  does  this  gracious  pur- 
pose ever  take  effect  independently  of  faith  and  a  holy  life. 

3.  By  a  divine  constitution  Adam  was  so  the  head  and  repre- 
sentative of  his  race;  that,  as  a  consequence  of  his  transgression, 
all  mankind  became  morally  corrupt  and  liable  to  death,  temporal 
and  eternal. 

4.  Adam  was  created  in  the  image  of  God,  endowed  with 
knowledge,  righteousness  and  true  holiness.  Infants  come  into 
the  world  not  only  destitute  of  these,  but  with  a  nature  inclined 
to  evil  and  only  evil. 

5.  Brute  animals  sustain  no  such  relation  io  the  moral  govern- 
ment of  God  as  does  the  human  family.  Infants  are  a  part  of  the 
human  family,  and  their  sufferings  and  death  are  to  be  accounted 
for  on  the  ground  of  their  being  involved  in  the  general  moral 
ruin  of  the  race  induced  by  the  apostacy. 

6.  Original  sin  is  a  natural  bias  to  evil,  resulting  from  the  first 
apostacy,  leading  invariably  and  certainly  to  actual  transgression. 
And  all  infants,  as  well  as  adults,  need  redemption  by  the  blood 
of  Christ,  and  regeneration  by  the  Holy  Ghost. 

7.  The  sin  of  Adam  is  not  imputed  to  his  posterity  in  the  sense 
of  a  literal  transfer  of  personal  qualities,  acts  and  demerits;  but 
by  reason  of  the  Bin  of  Adam  in  his  peculiar  relation,  the  race  are 
treated  as  if  they  had  Binned.  Nor  is  the  righteousness  of  Christ 
imputed  to  his  people  in  the  sense  of  a  literal  transfer  of  pen 
qualities,  acts  and  merits;  but  by  reason  of  his  righteousnef 
his   peculiar  relation,  they  are  treated  as  if  they  were  right 

8.  The  sufferings  and  death  of  Christ  .  mbolical, 
ernmental   and   instructive  only,  but  were  truly  vicarious,  i.  e.,  a 
substitute  for  the  punishment  due  to  ti                >rs.    And  while 

Bt  did  not  suffer  the  literal  penalty  of  the  law,  involving 
remorse  of  conscience  and  the  pains  of  hell,  he  did  offer  ■  sacrifice 
which  Infinite  justice  saw  to  be  a  full  equivalent,  and  by  virtue 
of  this  atonement  overtures  of  mercy  are  sincerely  made  to  the 

nor  and  salvation  secured  to  all  who  believe. 

9.  While  sinners  have  all  the  facultii  ary  to  a  perfect 
moral  agency  and  a  just  accountability,  such  is  their  love  of  sin 
and  opposition  to  God  and  his  law,  that,  Independently  of  tho 
renewing  influence  or  almighty  energy  of  the  Holy  Spirit .  they 
never  will  comply  with  the  commands  of  God. 


78  PRESBTTERIANISM  IN  THE 

10.  The  intercession  of  Christ  for  the  elect  is  previous  as  well 
as  subsequent  to  their  regeneration,  as  appears  from  the  following 
Scripture,  viz,  "I  pray  not  for  the  world,  but  for  them  which 
thou  hast  given  me,  for  they  are  thine.  Neither  pray  I  for  these 
alone,  but  for  them  also  which  shall  believe  in  me  through  their 
word." 

11.  Saving  faith  is  an  intelligent  and  cordial  assent  to  the  testi- 
mony of  God  concerning  his  Son,  implying  reliance  on  Christ 
alone  for  pardon  and  eternal  life;  and  in  all  cases  it  is  an  effect  of 
the  special  operations  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 

12.  Regeneration  is  a  radical  change  of  heart,  produced  by  the 
special  operation  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  "determining  the  sinner  to 
that  which  is  good;"  and  is  in  all  cases  instantaneous. 

13.  While  repentance  for  sin  and  faith  in  Christ  are  indispens- 
able to  salvation,  all  who  are  saved  are  indebted,  from  first  to  last, 
to  the  grace  and  spirit  of  God.  And  the  reason  that  God  does  not 
save  all,  is,  not  that  he  wants  the  power  to  do  it,  but  that  in  his 
wisdom  he  does  not  see  fit  to  exert  that  power  further  than  he 
actually  does. 

14.  While  the  liberty  of  the  will  is  not  impaired,  nor  the 
established  connection  betwixt  means  and  ends  broken  by  any 
action  of  God  on  the  mind,  he  can  influence  it  according  to  his 
pleasure,  and  does  effectually  determine  it  to  good  in  all  cases  of 
true  conversion. 

15.  All  believers  are  justified,  not  on  the  ground  of  personal 
merit,  but  solely  on  the  ground  of  the  obedience  and  death,  or  in 
other  words,  the  righteousness  of  Christ.  And  while  that  right- 
eousness does  not  become  theirs  in  the  sense  of  a  literal  transfer 
of  personal  qualities  and  merit,  yet,  from  respect  to  it,  God  can 
and  does  treat  them  as  if  they  were  righteous. 

1G.  While  all  such  as  reject  the  gospel,  do  it,  not  by  coercion, 
but  freely,  and  all  who  embrace  it,  do  it,  not  by  coercion,  but 
freely,  the  reason  why  some  differ  from  others  is  that  God  has 
made  them  to  differ. 

In  further  illustration  of  the  doctrines  prevalent  in 
this  section  of  the  church,  the  Convention  declared 
that  the  authors  whose  exposition  and  defense  of  the 

articles  <>f  our  faith  were  most   approved  and  used  in 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  79 

these  Synods,  are  President  Edwards,  Witherepoonj 
Dwigtt,  Smalley  and  Andrew  Fuller,  and  the  com- 
mentators, Henry,  Doddridge  and  Scott. 

The  Auburn  Convention  expressed  the  sentiments  of 
X       -  ihool"  portion  of  the  church  at  large.     The 
action  of  the  Presbytery  of  Oneida,  February  21.  1838, 
somewhat  more  specifically  ex;      -     -  prevailing  in 

Central  New  York.  And  it  is  worthy  of  mention  for  its 
moderation  and  Christian  spirit: 

1.  It  is  the  wish  of  this  Presbytery  to  continue  its  connection 
with  the  General  Assembly,  if  this  can  be  done  consistently  with 
what  we  hold  to  be  our  duties  and  rights  as  Christians  and  Pres- 
byterians. 2.  We  prefer  a  separation  from  that  body  to  a  con- 
tinuance of  a  connection  with  it  on  any  basis  that  would  violate 
our  convictions  of  what  is  binding-  upon  us  and  due  to  us,  or  that 
would  keep  up  the  unhappy  contentions  that  have  for  so  many 
years  distracted  the  church.  3.  That  to  facilitate  our  peaceful 
connection  with  the  Assembly,  we  declare  our  honest  attachment 
to  the  doctrines,  government,  discipline  and  worship  of  the  Pres- 
byterian Church  a-  Bel  forth  in  the  conMitution,  and  we  declare 
our  purpose  to  maintain  the  same  by  all  i  roper  means  among  the 
churches  committed  to  our  care,  and  to  ex> 

violations  of  them,  at  such  times  and  by  such  measures  as  .-hull 
appear  to  us  most  conducive  to  truth  and  order.  4.  That  we  have 
regarded  the  plan  by  which  churches  wholly  or  in  part  Congrega- 
tional were  admitted  to  our  ecclesiastical  counsels  as  called  for 
by  the  circumstances  of  this  country  at  its  early  settlement,  as 
helpful  to  the  edification  and  influence  of  the  church  generally, 
and  as  accordant  with  the  spirit,  if  not  sanctioned  by  the  l< 
of  our   laws;    and   that  while  ,t   to  aim  at    greater  uni- 

formity in  our  churches  as  the  occasion  for  the  plan  passes  away, 

Bent    to   an   abrupt    severance  of  the   relations  tbat 
have  been  formed    under  it.     5.  Tbat  while  we  regard  the  Si 
the  Assembly  in  cutting  oil  the  Pynods  of  Western  Reserve,  ! 
(ieneva  and  Qenesee  ;i-  violations  of  the  constitution  of  the  church 
and  of  bur  rights  and  of  Christian  Blindness,  we  do  not  approve 


80  PRESBYTER1AN1SM  IN  THE 

of  any  means  to  restore  us  to  our  legitimate  place  save  such  as 
shall  remove  misapprehensions  of  us  and  reconcile  our  brethren 
to  us,  and  provide  for  future  peace  and  fellowship  and  coopera- 
tion. 6.  That  if  the  next  General  Assembly  shall  decline  to 
admit  us  to  it,  then  we  desire  a  friendly  conference  for  effecting 
an  amicable  and  equitable  separation  from  it;  and  that  failing 
this,  our  Commissioners  shall  return  and  report  to  us,  without 
any  attempt  to  commit  us  to  any  ulterior  measures  or  organi- 
zation. 

June  21,  1838,  the  Presbytery  "  approved  of  the 
forming  of  the  General  Assembly  of  1838,  which  held 
its  sessions  in  the  chapel  of  the  First  Presbyterian 
Church,  Philadelphia,  and  of  the  course  of  its  Commis- 
sioners in  acting  with  it," 

The  excision  proved  a  blessing  to  the  churches  in 
Central  New  York.  There  had  been  alienations  among 
them  growing  out  of  differences  of  judgment  about  in- 
cidents to  revivals  of  religion  and  the  abolition  of 
slavery  and  other  reforms,  but  they  rushed  together 
under  their  common  excitement,  and  firmly  clasped 
then,  they  have  remained  in  the  closest  embrace  since. 
And  it  relieved  them,  too,  of  errors  and  evils  that  had 
existed,  not  so  much  in  them  as  about  them,  and  led 
them  to  a  more  unanimous  recognition  of  the  truth  and 
importance  of  some  controverted  and  depreciated  arti- 
cles of  onr  faith,  and  of  the  need  of  care  in  the  selec- 
tion of  measures  for  revivals  and  reforms,  and  to  an 
improvement  of  their  character  generally. 

And  very  few  churches  were  lost  by  the  exscinded 
Synods.       The   Assembly    directed    those    that   were 
•strictly  Presbyterian  in  doctrine  and  order'  to  apply 
for  admission  to  those  Presbyteries  retained  by  it  near- 
est and   most  convenient  to  them :  but  none  left  in  t  lie 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  81 

eastern  and  western  part  of  our  territory,  but  one  in  its 
southern  part,  three  in  the  northern  part,  and  two  or 
three  in  the  central  part.  The  Congregational  Asso- 
ciation of  the  State  also  issued  an  address  to  the  Con- 
gregational Churches  connected  with  our  Presbyteries, 
urging  them  to  leave :  but  with  a  like  unanimity  they 
preferred  to  remain. 

REUNION. 

The  organization  of  two  General  Assemblies  at  Phil- 
adelphia in  1838.  belongs  to  the  history  of  our  church 
at  large,  and  need  not  be  described  here.  Suffice  it  to 
say.  that  whatever  may  be  true  of  the  mode  of  dividing 
the  church,  the  fact  was  a  happy  occurrence.  It  broke 
up  contention  and  left  the  parties  free  for  Christian 
work,  and  after  standing  apart  for  more  than  thirty  years, 
we  came  together,  each  band  larger  than  the  two  at 
separating,  and  in  perfect  accord.  The  reunion  is  one 
of  the  great  wonders  in  the  religious  world — a  great 
wonder  in  itself,  for  what  obstacles  there  must  always 
be  t-»  such  an  event,  and  how  infrequent  it  lias  been  ; 
how  soon  after  the  separation  this  was  brought  about, 
and  with  what  cordiality  it  was  participated  in  by  all 
who  took  an  active  part  in  the  separation  and  Lived  at 
the  reunion;  bow  marked  the  providential  preparation 
for  it  and  tin-  opi-ration  of  tin-  Spirit  in  inclining  OUT 
ministers,  communicants  and  elders  t<>  it:  how  com- 
plete it  was  and  is,  and  how  felicitously  it  has  worked. 
We  are  more  a  unit  than  we  could  possibly  have  been 
without  a  division,  and  more  prosperous  We  now 
number  considerably  over  half  a  million  of  communi- 


82  PRESBYTERlAmSM  IN  THE 

rants,  and  contribute  annually  about  ten  million  of 
dollars.  During  the  past  year,  ending  April,  1876,  an 
average  of  ten  members  have  been  added  to  each  of  our 
churches,  and  our  net  gain  in  the  last  five  years  is  400 
ministers,  461  churches,  79,832  communicants,  75,530 
Sunday-school  scholars,  and  $712,512  contributions. 

The  Presbyteries  on  this  field  repeatedly  cast  unani- 
mous votes  for  reunion.  Indeed,  the  first  ecclesiastical 
movement  towards  it  was  made  here.  In  1852,  Rev. 
Dr.  L.  Merril  Miller  and  Hon.  John  Fine  appeared  in 
the  Presbytery  of  St.  Lawrence  as  a  delegation  from 
the  Presbytery  of  Ogdensburgh,  proposing  an  arrange- 
ment for  uniting  the  two  Presbyteries.  They  were 
cordially  received  and  their  proposal  welcomed,  and 
preparation  was  made  for  a  joint  meeting  at  Ogdens- 
burgh. Nothing,  however,  resulted  immediately,  for 
only  a  local  reunion  was  proposed;  but  it  was  in  the 
line  of  the  final,  great  consummation,  and  tended  to  it: 
and  in  1862  and  1863  the  two  Presb}rteries  held  several 
joint  meetings,  and  so  deepened  their  interest  in  the 
object  and  stirred  up  other  minds  to  heed  and  favor  it 


THE    CHURCHES    FIRST    ORGANIZED   OX   THE   FIELD. 

Let  as  retrace  our  way  to  the  point  from  which  we 
have  taken  bo  Long  a  stride. 

Comparatively  few  churches  existed  on  the  field 
prior  to  the  erection  of  the  Oneida  Presbytery  in  1802. 
Cherry  Valley,  organized  in  1741:  the  United  Society 
of  Whitesboro  and  Fort  Schuyler,  (now  Utica,)  1794  . 
Trenton,   also    called   Oldenbarneveldt,    1795;    Little 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  83 

Falls,*  and  Coopcrstown,  1800,  and  Springfield  were 
connected  with  it  at  its  beginning ;  and  New  Hartford,  f 
August,  1791,  previously  Congregational,  and  styled 
"  The  First  Religious  Society  in  Whitestown,"  was 
received  at  its  first  session. 

Two  Presbyterian  Churches  had  been  formed  in 
Onondaga  county — the  first  at  Scipio  in  179-1,  and  the 
second  at  Manlius  in  1795.  The  following  Congrega- 
tional Churches  had  been  organized  then,  or  were  soon 
after :  Plainfield  in  Otsego  county,  Harpersfield  in  Del- 
aware county,  1793;  Lisle,  1797;  and  Colesville,  1803, 
in  Broome  county,  ;  Newark  Valley  in  Tioga  county, 
1793 ;  Sherburne,  first  and  second,  1802,  Norwich, 
Oxford,  1799,  Bainbridge,  1797,  and  South  Bainbridge, 
1803,  in  Chenango  county ;  Homer  in  Cortland  county, 
1801 ;  Hamilton,  third  town,  and  Hamilton,  fourth 
town,  and  Cuzenovia,  in  Madison  county,  1709;  Litch- 

*  Little  Falls  suffered  suspended  animation  for  many  years,  but 
revived  in  1818;  or  more  exactly,  perhaps,  expired  and  was  fol- 
lowed by  a  successor,  which  was  taken  under  the  care  of  the 
Presbytery  in  1813. 

f  The  church  at  New  Hartford  may  have  taken  its  original  name 
from  its  first  comprehending  members  of  various  Christian  de- 
nominations. In  1792  Rev.  Pan  Bradley  was  ordained  at  Bad- 
dam,  Ct.,  to  serve  tlic  New  Hartford  church.  Three  years  after 
he  removed  to  Marcellus,  and  became  Aral  Jndge  of  Onondaga 
County,    and     prominent    in    civil    and    agricultural    affairs,    and 

acquired  distinction  by  his  ability,  culture  and  wit.  At  the  set- 
tlement of  Key  Joshua  Johnson  at   New   Bartford,  In  1795,811 

"ordination  hall"  is  reported  to  have  been  given,  an  SXerdsC  not 
unknown    in    Puritan    customs  on    such    Occasions;    and    it    is   also 

said  that  there  was  some  hesitation  ahout  ordaining  Mr.  Johnson 
because  be  could  not  affirm  that  a  Christian  onght  to  be  trilling 
to  be  damned. 


84  PRESBYTERIANISM  IN  THE 

field  and  Warren  in  Herkimer » county ;  Paris,  1791, 
Clinton,  1791,  Westmoreland,  1792,  Sangerfield.  1795. 
Augusta.  1797,  Hanover,  1797,  Bridgewater,  1798, 
Rome,  1800,  Vernon  1801,  Verona,  1803,  and  Western 
in  Oneida  county  :  and  Pompev  Hill,  1794,  Elbridge, 
1800,  Skaneatelas,  1801,  and  Otisco,  1803,  in  Onondaga 
county  :  and  Turin,  1802.  Leyden,  1803,  and  Lowville, 
1803,  in  Lewis  county :  and  Watertown,  1803,  in  Jef- 
ferson county  :  and  Redneld,  Oswego  county.  All  of 
these  churches,  except  Plainfleld  and  Scipio,  were  sub- 
sequently connected  with  Presbytery,  and  Lisle,  Coles- 
ville,  Litchfield,  Windsor,  Clinton,  Vernon,  Verona, 
Western,  Rome,  Augusta,  Elbridge,  Manlius,  Otisco, 
Lowville  belong  to  it  now ;  while  Hamilton,  Paris, 
Newark  Valley,  Sherburne,  Norwich,  Westmoreland 
and  Harpersville  now  belong  to  Associations,  and  the 
remainder  arc  extinct,  or  in  no  eccleasiastical  body.  A 
union  church,  composed  of  Presbyterians  and  Congre- 
gationalists,  and  perhaps  adherents  of  other  denomina- 
tions, was  formed  in  L801  a1  Marcellns,  and  retained  its 
mixed  character  for  twenty  years,  when  it  perfected  its 
organization  and  became  Presbyterian.  Its  house  of 
worship,  built  in  L803,  still  stands,  and  it  has  the  dis- 
tinction of  having  enjoyed  the  pastorship  of  that  man 
of  God,  Levi  Parsons,  for  thirty-four  years. 

Paris,  Clinton  and  New  Hartford  were  organized  in 
llbI  of  the  same  year  by  the  younger  Jonathan 
Edwards,  soon  after  President  of  Union  College.  He  had 
been  designed  by  his  father  as  a  missionary  to  the  In- 
dians, and  having  previously  acquired  their  language 
so  familiarly  thai  he  thought  in  it,  as  a  further  prepa- 
ration for  his  intended  work,  he  accompanied  the  Rev. 


8YE0D  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  85 

Gideon  Hawley  in  L7^3  to  Oquago,  now  Windsor,  m 
Broome  county,  which  was  then,  and  long  had  been, 
the  home  of  a  colony  of  the  Iroquois.  The  Lord,  how- 
ever, had  a  different  mission  for  him.  He  was  ne< 
for  the  neld  of  intellect,  and  showed  himself  such  a 
master  there,  that  Dr.  Emmons  pithily  said:  ''The 
father  had  the  most  reason,  but  the  son  was  the  best 
•uer.*' 

Most  prominent  among  the  older  ministers  of  Paris 
was  the  Kev.  Dr.  William  R  Weeks,  whose  name 
is  the  synonym  of  superlative  Hopkinsiauism.  and 
whose  letters  en  the  alleged  extravagancies  of  Mr. 
Finney  and  his  coadjutors,  imitators  and  followers  in 
the  revivals  of  1826  on  this  held.  bo  greatly  embittered 
the  controversy  about  them,  and  so  Largely  i'uri:  - 
the  material  for  Mr.  Nettleton's  and  Dr.  Beecher's  de- 
nunciations of  them,  mid  so  widely  spread  the  extreme 
notions  of  irregularities  in  our  churcl 

Dr.  Seth  Williston  staid  somewhat  his  broad  itiner- 
ancy and  settled  for  about  ten  years  with  the  church 
at  Lisle,  which  he  organized,  though  ever  and  anon 
even  then  taking  wing  for  a  considerable  -weep. 
IP  ed  in  that  pastorship  by   Rev.   Benry 

Ford,  whom  I  well  knew  and  profoundly  respected. 
IP  had  been  one  of  my  predecessors  in  the  church 
at  Elmira,  and  I  often  met  him  then-.  Far  advanced 
in  lift-,  a  man  of  disciplined  intellect,  a  gradual 
Vale  under  Presidenl  Dwight,  broughl  up  in  social 
refinement,  an  associate  and  peer  <»t  the  masters  of 
Israel  in  his  prime,  he  was  then  bearing  the  pack  on 
his  back  and  traveling  as  a  colporteur  among  the  rough 
Lumbermen  of  Northern  Pennsylvania,  coming  hack  at 


86  PRESBYTERIANISM  IN  THE 

intervals  to  the  scene  of  his  early  pastorate  for  supplies 
of  Bibles  and  books  and  tracts,  and  for  needful  rest. 
It  was  beautiful  to  see  the  honor  paid  him  by  vener- 
able men  and  women,  his  former  parishioners,  and  the 
tenderness  with  which  they  waited  upon  him  as  their 
guest,  and  it  was  wonderful  to  witness  the  depth  of  his 
humility  and  the  passionateness  of  his  zeal.  Though 
a  Boanerges,  whose  bursts  of  eloquence  were  the  tales 
of  the  region  about  him,  he  used  to  say,  "When  I 
preach  in  a  school-house  crammed  to  the  utmost,  if 
ever  I  soar,  I  soar  then/'  He  once  preached  an  hour 
and  forty  minutes  on  the  atonement,  at  a  communion 
season,  and  the  good  people  who  heard  him  did  not 
suspect  that  the  sermon  was  more  than  usually  long. 
Repeatedly  did  he  remark  to  me  that  he  did  not  know 
that  he  was  ever  instrumental  in  the  conversion  of  a 
soul.  How  I  almost  wished  him  back  to  earth  when, 
immediately  after  his  death.  I  read  an  account  of  a 
revival  in  Pennsylvania — the  result  of  his  colportage 
there.* 

Marcus  Ford,  for  fort)'  years  pastor  of  the  church  at 
Newark  Valley,  was  cousin  to  Henry  Ford.     The  anti- 

*  In  his  historical  address  on  Broome  county,  July  4,  1876,  Dr. 
George  Burr  speaks  of  Mr.  HeDry  Ford  as  '"  a  man  of  signal  ability 
and  of  a  strong  logical  mind.  His  favorite  themes  were  what  are 
termed  the  '  doctrines'  of  the  Bible,  and  in  tenacity  of  belief,  and 
in  firmness  in  enforcing  his  views,  he  must  have  been  equal  to 
Calvin  himself.  More  than  thirty-five  years  ago  I  listened  to  a 
discourse  from  him,  directed  to  a  church  whose  soundness  on  the 
doctrines  had  begun  to  be  distrusted.  His  text  was,  '  Whom  he 
will  he  hardeneth.'  Every  proposition  advanced  was  sustained 
by  copious  quotations  from  the  Scriptures,  and  at  the  close  of 
every  argument  he  would  remark,  'If  you  think  these  are  hard 
sayings,  my  brethren,  I  can  only  reply  that  they  are  found  in  the 
Bible — the  words  are  not  mine.'" 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW    YORK.  87 

podes  of  each  other  in  temperament,  they  were  twins  by 
attachment.  Calm,  deliberate,  studious  and  thoughful, 
the  soul  of  honesty  and  honor,  and  infallibly  consistent 
with  his  principles  and  himself,  Marcus  would  have 
well  filled  a  theological  chair,  while  underneath  his 
cool  exterior  a  holy  fire  burned,  and  such  was  his  ardor 
for  souls  and  his  sense  of  responsibility,  that  he  was 
known  again  and  again  to  faint  in  his  pulpit  Heresy, 
disorder  and  extravagance  found  no  tolerance  or  com- 
promise with  him,  and  his  very  presence  rebuked  and 
restrained  them. 

Caleb  Alexander,  a  man  of  mark,  was  traversing 
Onondaga  county  at  the  time  the  Oneida  Presbytery 
A\as  formed,  setting  up,  in  company  with  Setli  Willis- 
ton,  most  of  its  early  churches.  The  Theological  Semi- 
nary at  Auburn  germinated  in  his  brain  and  in  that  of 
his  later  associate,  Rev.  Dr.  Dirck  C.  Lansing,  their 
purpose  being  to  plant  it  at  Onondaga,  and  the  minutes 
of  the  Presbytery  record  how  busy  he  was  about  it. 
Dr.  Lansing's  removal  tp  Auburn  took  the  young  shoot 
from  the  soil  where  it  started,  and  set  it  ou1  in  a  more 
fertile  spot.  Mr.  Alexander's  mind  then  teemed  with 
the  fchoughl  of  a  college,  and  conceiving  thai  it  was 
most  practicable  as  the  evolution  of  an  existing  insti- 
tution, in  a  few  months  he  raised  the  endowmenl  for 
turning  the  Missionary  Kirkland's  Academy  at  Clinton 
into  Eamilton  College,  and  closely  competed  with  Dr, 
Backus  for  its  first  Presidency. 

Dr.  Lansing's  ministry  continued  until  the  days  of 
many  of  the  members  of  this  Synod  All  o\  as  knew 
him  personally,  or  are  familiar  with  his  character  and 
career.  The  scion  of  an  ancient  and  honorable  Dutch 
Btock,  delicately  nurtured  in  an  ancestral  "patroonahip' 


88  PRESBYTERIAN  ISM  IN  THE 

at  Lansingburgh,*  graduating  at  Yale  under  Dr.  Dwight, 
and  in  the  same  class  with  John  C.  Calhoun,  and  hope- 
fully converted  there,  he  preached  the  gospel  for  more 
than  fifty  years  with  inimitable  grace  of  person  and 
speech  and  magnetic  power,  performing  revival  pastor- 
ates at  Onondaga,  Auburn,  Utica,  in  the  Houston  street 
Church,  New  York,  and  the  Clinton  street  Church, 
Brooklyn,  incessantly  answering  the  summons  for  spe- 
cial sermons  and  protracted  meetings  elsewhere.  A 
child  in  his  naturalness  and  affectionateness,  he  was 
born  to  command,  and  led  sacramental  hosts,  f 

*Tlris  lown  took  its  name  from  his  father. 

f  "  Dr.  Lansing,"  said  Lewis  Gay  lord  Clark,  "was  the  first  really 

live  preacher   1   ever   heard,  and  the  most  electrically  eloquent 

preacher  I  ever  heard,  Bascom  alone  excepted.   Every  thing  spoke. 

His  long,  slender  figure,  the  graceful  sweep  of  his  arm,  the  flash 

of  his  black  eye,  the  winning  tones  of  his  voice,  all  combined  to 

rivet   attention    and    compel    admiration.      In    gesture    he   was 

excelled  only  by  Henry  Clay.     He  read  a  hymn  with  more  effect 

than  any  minister  I  ever  heard.     Sometimes  in  giving  one  out,  he 

would   pause,  lay  the  book  on  the  pulpit  cushion,  and  comment 

on  what  he  had  read.     Well  I  remember  his  pausing  in  this  way 

at  the  verse, 

'  When  I  survey  the  wondrous  cross 
Ou  which  the  Priuce  of  glory  died.' 

His  remarks  upon  it,  though  brief,  were  a  sermon,  and  replete 
with  tenderness  and  deep  feeling." 

Ami  Baid  a  gentlemaD  in  Utica:  "  In  reading  one  of  the  fervent, 
devotional  psalms  of  David,  his  spirit  seemed,  as  Carlyle  expresses 
it.  to  canli  some  echo  of  it  through  the  old,  dim  centuries,  feel- 
ing far  off  in  bis  own  heart  what  it  was  to  other  hearts  made  like 
his  own.  1  remember  especially  one  lovely  Sunday  morning  in 
spring  his  reading  the  hymn, 

•  Was  it  for  crimes  that  /had  done 

He  groaned  upou  the  tree. 
A-mu-zlDg  pity,  grace  unknown, 

And  I.-o  v-c  beyond  degree.' 

No  words  can  convey  the  infinite  tenderness  with  which  he  pro- 

nonnced    this    hymn,  looking  round   upon  the  congregation,  his 

wimming  with  tears."     Sermon  by  Rev.  Henry  Fowler. 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  89 

Joshua  Leonard,  who  bore  the  message  from  the 
Middle  Association  to  the  Synod  of  Albany,  proposing 
a  union  with  that  body,  was  illustrating  Puritan  intel- 
lect and  intelligence  and  principle  in  the  church  at 
Cazenovia,  which  he  founded  in  1799,  with  staunch 
Holland  help  from  Col.  John  Lincklaen,  the  first  clerk 
of  the  session,  and  acting  as  such  for  seven  years,  and 
the  first  Stated  Clerk  of  the  Presbytery  of  Onondaga, 
acting  as  such  for  three  years,  and  a  model  whom  cleri- 
cal clerks  might  follow,  particularly  in  the  neatness  and 
legibility  of  their  transcripts,  wise  and  liberal  and  active 
in  the  affairs  of  the  parish,  and  always  a  member  of 
the  important  committees  of  Presbytery,  and  repeat- 
edly its  representative  in  the  General  Assembly.  Sel- 
dom has  a  church  been  distinguished  by  such  a  line  of 
eminent  pastors.  In  1813,  after  Mr.  Leonard's  resigna- 
tion, Rev.  Dr.  John  Brown,  a  native  of  Connecticut,  a 
graduate  in  1809  of  Dartmouth  College,  and  in  1812 
of  Andover  Theological  Seminary, came  to  the  town  on 
a  horseback  tour  from  New  England.  His  line  appear- 
ance and  dignified  manners  struck  the  people  at  once, 
and  his  able,  solemn  preaching  impressed  them,  and  his 
quiet  humor  in  society  relaxed  him  enough  to  he 
approachable  there.  Called  t<>  the  pastoral  charge,  his 
acceptableness  and  Influence  in  it  grew  lor  sixteen 
vears,  when  in\ ited  to  the  Pine  streel  (afterwards  Berk- 
ley street)  Church,  Boston,  he  I. -ft  an  almost  heart- 
broken congregation  behind  him.  The  Rev.  Charles 
White,  born  at  Randolph,  Mass.,  L795,  and  a  descend- 
ant of  Peregrine  Whin-,  born  on  the  Mayflower,  suc- 
ceeded Dr.  Brown  almost  immediately.  A  foremost 
scholar  at  Dartmouth,  where  he  graduated  in  L821,  and 


90  PRESBYTERIANISM  IN  THE 

declining  a  place  in  the  faculty  there,  he  completed  a 
theological  course  at  Andover,  and  after  only  four 
years'  experience  and  practice  of  his  profession,  as  col- 
league to  his  step-father,  Rev.  Dr.  Asa  Burton,  at  Thet- 
ford,  Vt,  he  was  introduced  into  the  pulpit  and  parish 
of  a  trained  veteran,  whose  powers  and  graces  had  pro- 
duced an  almost  idolatry  of  him.  Modest  in  the  ex- 
treme, yet  resolute  in  purpose  and  trustful  in  God, 
he  assumed  the  responsibility  and  took  the  risk.  The 
circumstances  made  the  experiment  a  competition  and 
struggle,  in  which  a  tyro  contended  with  a  master,  a 
strippling  with  a  giant.  A  considerate  people  brought 
his  age  into  the  account  in  their  judgment  of  the  youth, 
and  were  discriminating  enough  to  perceive  his  promise 
and  worth.  Going  to  Owego  in  1834,  he  became  as 
much  of  a  divinity  there  as  his  predecessor  had  been 
here,  and  torn  from  the  church  and  congregation,  he  was 
transferred  in  1841  to  the  Presidency  of  Wabash  Col- 
lege, and  in  the  brilliant  incumbency  of  that  office  the 
light  of  his  earthly  life  went  out,  October  29,  1861. 

Dr.  Asahel  Strong  Norton  was  installed  at  Clinton  in 
1793,  and  remained  there  for  forty  years,  upheld  by 
grace  and  the  support  of  an  unwavering  faithfulness, 
an  unerring  judgment,  an  unspotted  character  and  a 
blameless  life. 

Bethuel  Dodd  was  placed  ^\cv  Whitesboro  and 
Utica  in  L794,  the  firsl  pastor  of  the  "  United  Society." 
Presideni  Dwighl  visited  him  during  his  "  travels"  in 
17,.,'.».  and  -poke  of  him  as  "the  very  worthy  and  ex- 
cellenl  minister  of  the  place,"  and  said  after  his  death, 
thai  he  "loft  a  name  behind  him  which  is  as  the  odor 
of  sweet   incense."     Born  at   Bloomfield,  X.  J.,  about 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  91 

1770,  he  was  graduated  at  Nassau  Hall,  and  licensed 
to  preach  about  1793.  Marrying  Sarah,  daughter  of 
Dr.  Pierson,  of  Orange,  1ST.  J.,  he  commenced  house- 
keeping at  Whitesboru  with  Judge  and  Mrs.  Jonas 
Piatt  in  a  log-cabin.  He  subsequently  built  a  comfort- 
able and  commodious  house,  which  is  still  standing. 
There  he  died  in  1804,  and  his  funeral  was  held  at  the 
church  erected  by  his  instrumentality,  and  dedicated 
only  a  few  weeks  b< 'lore.  Judge  Roberts,  of  Rome, 
who  was  living  with  him  at  the  time  of  his  death, 
scribed  him  "a  man  of  fine  personal  appearance  and 
polished  manners,  and  an  able  preacher.!'  Rev.  Dr.  S. 
C.  Aiken  says  that  he  was  ••always  spoken  of  as  very 
pious  and  devoted — not  a  great  preacher,  but  a  vigilant, 
faithful  pastor." 

A  Congregational  Church  was  formed  at  Rome  in 
1800 — one  of  several  in  which  the  "  half-way  covenant" 
existed,  its  first  members  consisting  of  tw<  3,  dis- 

tinguished as  "in  full  connection"  and  as  uin  covenant 
with  thechurches  from  which  they  came."  Rev.  M 
Gillett,  the  firsl  pastor,  held  the  charge  for  thirty  years, 
a  graduate  of  Vale  College  and  thoroughly  furnished 
for  his  work,  which  he  prosecuted  with  singular  intent- 
of  aim.     Mr.  Finney  began  the  noticeable  pari  of 

his  career  while  preaching  for  him,  and  on  one  Sabbath 

in  1826,  176  recenl  converts  ived  to  Christian 

fellowship  by  hint:  and  during  Ins  whole  pastorate  ^"7 
were  added  t<>  the  church,  709  <>f  them  on  a  profession 

of    faith. 

Anion--  the  earl]  settlers  of  Trenton  were  CoL  Adam 
G.  Mappa  and   Francis   Adrian  Vanderkemp,  Id..  1>., 


92  PRESBTTERIANISM  IN  THE 

emigrants  for  conscience  sake  from  Holland,  and  of  the 
<>M(\st  and  most  prominent  families  there.  Dr.  Vander- 
kernp  firsl  entered  the  Dutch  army,  but  his  fondness 
for  learning  took  him  to  the  University,  and  thence  to 
the  ministry.  A  patriot  in  principle  and  impatient 
under  the  oppressiveness  of  the  government,  he  joined 
Col.  Mappa  in  a  military  organization  against  it. 
Though  amnestied  on  the  failure  of  his  uprising,  he 
could  not  remain  in  his  native  land,  and  in  company 
with  Col.  Mappa  he  came  to  this  country.  His  social 
rank,  his  eminence  in  the  schools,  and  his  public  career 
secured  him  the  particular  attention  of  our  prominent 
men,  and  invited  to  the  hospitalities  of  Mount  Vernon, 
Washington  advised  him  to  settle  among  or  near  his 
countrymen  in  this  State,  and  choosing  Trenton,  also 
called  Oldenbarneveld,  after  the  Holland  patriot  and 
martyr,  as  his  home,  in  1794,  he  maintained  religious 
services  from  the  first,  in  connection  with  Col.  Mappa, 
and  this  explains  the  early  origin  of  our  churches  at 
Trenton  and  Holland  Patent. 

When  six  families  had  collected  at  Homer  in  1793, 
they  commenced  Sunday  services,  which,  with  a  single 
exception,  have  been  uninterruptedly  maintained  since- 
The  first  sermon  was  preached  there  by  the  Kev.  Dr. 
Eillyer,  of  New  Jersey.  Diversity  of  ecclesiastical 
views  delayed  the  organization  of  a  church,  but  in  1801 
the  suspense  was  ended  by  the  decision  of  a  Christian 
woman,  and  a  Congregational  Church  formed. 

Speaking  of  the  origin  of  some  of  the  churches  of 
the  Synod,  le1  me  go  forward  to  1816  and  mention 
Sackett's    Barbor.      Officers  of   the   army  and   navy. 


, 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  93 

without  being  professors  of  religion,  formed  an  associa- 
tion to  sustain  public  worship  and  preaching,  and  the 
result  was  a  church,  of  which  many  of  them  and  of  the 
soldiers  and  sailors  became  members,  and  ordered  to 
Green  Bay  and  Sault  de  St.  Marie,  they  set  out  two 
offshoots  from  it  there. 

rev.  john  taylor's  missionary  tour  in  1802. 

At  the  request  of  the  Hampshire  Missionary  Society, 
in  1802,  Kev.  John  Taylor  made  a  "missionary  tour 
through  the  Mohawk  and  Black  River  county,"  taking 
copious  notes,  a  publication  of  which  is  made  in  the 
third  volume  of  the  Documentary  History  of  the  State. 
Brief  extracts  from  this  may  help  us  to  form  some  idea 
of  the  religious  condition  of  a  part  of  the  ^territory  of 
the  Synod  at  that  time.  "  Herkimer,"  he  writes, 
"contains  six  or  seven  hundred  inhabitants.  They 
have  a  new  meeting-house,  but  do  not  improve  it." 
"Called  on  some  of  the  principal  men  in  Fairfield, 
and  found  things  respecting  religion  very  discouraging. 
I  offered  to  tarry  and  preach  the  nexl  day,  bul  it  was 
thought  th at  no  people  would  attend.  They  are  uni- 
versally in  the  midst  of  harvest"  4,A  young  gentle- 
man by  the  name  of  Johnson  has  preached  in  Norway 
for  several  Sabbaths,  and  is  hired  for  three  or  four  Sab- 
baths to  come  There  is  a  considerable  congregation 
of  Presbyterians."  "Utica  and  Whitesboro,  about  four 
miles  apart,  form  but  one  Presbyterian  congregation,  of 
which  Mr.  Dodd  is  the  minister  a  pious  and  valuable 
man.  He  preaches  in  the  two  parts  of  the  town  alter- 
nately."    u  The  Presbyterians  are  building  a  meeting- 


94  PRESBYTER1AN1SM  IN  lllh 

house  in  Whitesboro.  There  is  none  in  Utica."  lie 
repeatedly  refers. to  Mr.  Dodd,  describing  him  as  "a 
very  intelligent  gentleman,"  "a  very  sensible,  judicious 
man,  and  a  sound  Calvinist"  "Mr.  Norton  has  a  Con- 
gregational Church  at  Clinton  containing  240  members, 
and  this  people  is  considered  to  be  most  harmonious, 
regular  and  pious  of  any  in  the  northern  part  of  the 
State  of  New  York.  In  this  town,  or  rather  parish,  is 
an  academy,  which  is  in  a  flourishing  state.  They  have 
one  usher  and  about  sixty  scholars.  A  Mr.  Porter,  an 
excellent  character  and  preacher,  is  preceptor.  This 
institution  promises  fair  to  be  of  great  service  in  this 
part  of  the  country.  Piety  is  very  much  encouraged 
in  it,  and  some  young  gentlemen  have  become  preach- 
ers who  were  educated  in  it.  In  the  society  of  Paris, 
of  which  Clinton  is  a  part,  Mr.  Steel  is  pastor.  He 
is  said  to  be  a  good  and  reputable  man.  He  has  a  re- 
spectable congregation.  In  Hanover,  a  society  of  Paris, 
Mr.  Bogue  is  pastor."  "North  or  northwest  of  Paris  is 
Westmoreland;  vacant,  congregation  considerbly  di- 
vided. Sangerfield  lies  south ;  congregation alist" 
••  Preached  for  Mr.  Dodd  at  Whitesboro;  about  250 
persons  present ;  communion  day ;  about  40  members ; 
appearances  good."  "In  the  afternoon  preached  at 
Utica  :  aboul  300  persons  present"  Most  of  the  mem- 
bers  are  at  the  Borough,  Here  (Utica)  may  be  found 
people  of  ti'it  or  twelve  different  nations,  and  of  almost 
all  religions  and  Beets,  bu1  tin1  greatesl  part  are  of  no 
religion.  The  world  is  the  greal  objeel  with  the  body 
of  the  people."  "Floyd,  eleven  miles  north  of  Utica, 
aboul  L80  families  ami  800  inhabitants.  The  people 
very  much  <li\i<lr<l:   bu1  a  small   number  of  Presby- 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  95 

terians."  "At  Trenton  put  up  with  Rev.  Mr.  Fish,* 
a  gentleman  who  was  once  settled  in  Connecticut  Farms 
in  New  Jersey,  and  is  now  employed  part  of  the  time 
by  the  people  of  this  town,  and  the  remainder  of  the 
time  rides  as  a  missionary ;  a  sensible,  judicious  man, 
and  appears  to  be  doing  great  good,  and  has  but  a  poor 
reward.". 

4'  The  people  of  this  town  (Camden)  are  said  to  be 
all  Congregational ists  but  two,  but  they  have  unhappily 
divided,  as  there  are  two  settlements,  and  they  keep 
separate  meetings  on  Sabbath,  but  two  miles  apart 
This  people  will,  however  well  united  at  present,  very 
soon,  in  my  opinion,  be  divided  by  Methodists.  The 
practice  of  the  Methodists  is  first  to  gain  over  some 
person  in  a  town  to  be  willing  to  admit  of  preaching 
in  his  house.  They  then  appoint  lecturers  regularly 
once  a  fortnight  for  six  mouths,  and  as  there  are 
no  preachers  in  those  towns,  the  people  attend  dur- 
ing the  six  months;  they  are  as  regular  as  the  Pres- 
byterian or  Congregational  clergy,  and  they  are  un- 
wearied in  their  endeavors  to  gain  the  good  will  of  the 
people.  At  the  end  of  six  months  they  bring  the 
matter  to  a  close  by  taking  the  names  of  those  who 
me  or  are  dow  willing  to  become  Methodists,     if 


•Mr.  Fi»h  vrae  a  particular   friend  of  Judge   Jonaa   Piatt,  of 
Whiteetown,  and  came  to  this  part  of  tin- country  ut  hi.-  bj 
invitation,     lit-  mui  a  man  of  meant  ami  refinement,  bnl  <>f  deli- 
cate health.     Purchasing  land  in  the  neighborhood,  he  preached 

to   the    people  at  Trenton.      The    climate,  how  too  rigor- 

ous for  him.    Obliged  to  decline  a  call  to  Marcellus  in  1804  and 

another  to   Holland  Patent    in    lSi).~),  he   took  a  dismission  in   1^>7 

to  the  Presbytery  ol  Long  Island. 


9  6  PRESB  YTERIA  NISM  IN  THE 

they  have  obtained  to  the  number  of  thirty  persons, 
they  appoint  a  class  leader  from  among  them,  who  from 
this  time  keeps  up  regular  meetings,  and  is  once  in 
three  or  four  weeks  assisted  by  some  who  ride  the  cir- 
cuit. In  the  first  part  of  their  establishment  they  say 
but  little  about  sentiments,  but  they  gain  the  people 
first,  and  then  mould  them  to  their  will.  But  I  observe 
that  when  they  have  been  of  considerable  standing, 
they  become  disorderly,  and  the  steady,  good  characters 
leave  them  and  come  back  to  Congregationalism." 

"At  Floyd  there  is  supposed  to  be  an  awakening 
among  the  Methodists.  They  have  their  quarterly 
meetings,  sacraments  and  love  feasts.  The  last  meet- 
ing was  on  the  4th  of  July ;  had  their  sacrament  in  the 
woods ;  began  their  meeting  on  Saturday  morning,  and 
continued  until  Sunday  night.  There  were  six  minis- 
ters present.  In  this  meeting  six  persons  fell  down,  in 
a  manner  similar  with  the  falling  down  in  Kentucky ; 
and  after  lying  twenty  or  thirty  minutes,  rose,  crying 
glory  to  God.  Some  of  them  appeared  to  be  senseless ; 
others  in  great  agitation.  These  persons  appear  to  the 
present  time  to  be  very  pious."  "  Put  up  with  General 
Flloyd  at  Western,  who  informs  me  that  the  Methodists 
are  making  great  strides,  and  appear  to  be  doing  some 
good,  as  well  as  much  harm ;  that  previous  to  their  meet- 
ings, the  Sabbath  was  almost  wholly  disregarded  by 
the  great  body  of  the  people,  and  they  were  but  little 
removed  from  a  heathenish  state,  but  that  now,  what- 
ever disorders  there  may  be  in  their  meetings,  they 
appear  to  have  become  moral  in  all  their  conduct,  and 
to  be  impressed  in  their  minds  with  a  sense  of  divine 
thing 


SYNOD  OF  VENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  !»7 

••  Found  Mr.  Johnson  at  Redfield.  The  overseers  of 
the  town  have  given  him  a  tract  of  land  to  preach  eight 
years.  He  receives  nothing  from  the  people.  He  has 
formed  a  church  of  eighteen  members— a  regular  peo- 
ple— all  ( longregationalists." 

It  took  some  time,  of  course,  for  the  current  of  immi- 
gration to  rise  and  swell  to  a  flood.  In  L800,  the  pop- 
ulation in  the  territory  of  the  Synod  hardly  reached 
80,000,  and  four  Presbyterian  ministers  labored  in  it, 
and  seven  Presbyterian  churches  were  organized  on  it, 
being  one  Presbyterian  minister  to  20,000,  people  and 
onechurch  tobetween  Ll,000and  L2,000.  In  1810  the 
population  came  up  to  223,000,  and  17  ministers 
and  'i'l  churches,  were  connected  with  Oneida  and 
Onondaga  Presbyteries,  then  covering  it,  being 
about  one  Presbyterian  minister  to  13,000  people,  and 
one  Presbyterian  Church  to  between  11,000  and  12,000 
people.  En  L820  the  population  rose  to  above  330,000, 
and  the  Presbyteries  of  Oneida,  Onondaga,  St  Law- 
rence and  Otsego,  then  erected,  counted  73  minis 
and  66  churches,  being  about  one  Presbyterian  min- 
ister to  t0,000  people,  and  one  Presbyterian  Church 
to  60,000  people  In  L830,  the  population  exceeded 
150,000,  and  the  then  Presbyteries  of  Oneida,  Onon- 
daga, Watertown,  St  Lawrence,  0  (  I 
( 'ortland.  Chenango  and  Tioga,  contained  131  ministers 
and  L64  churches,  or  one  Presbyterian  minister  to 
about  35,000  people  and  one  church  to  about   30,000 

people,     [n  1840,  the  population  rose  to  above  56 0, 

and  the  last  named    Presbyteries,  with  the  addition  of 
Delaware  and  Ogdensburgh,  0.  >..  numbered  131  min- 
v 


9  8  PRE  SB  YTERIA  XISM  IJV  THE 

isters  and  163  churches,  or  one  minister  and  one  church 
to  a  little  less  than  40,000  people.  In  1850,  the  popu- 
lation was  600,000,  and  the  Presbyteries  on  the  field,  Old 
School  and  New,  had  202  ministers  and  213  churches, 
or  one  minister  and  one  church  to  40.000  people. 
In  L860,  the  Utica,  Onondaga  and  Susquehannah 
Synods,  which,  together  with  the  Mohawk  and  Ogdens- 
burgh  Presbyteries,  had  210  ministers  and  187  churches. 
and  the  territory  a  population  of  660,000,  or  one  Pres- 
byterian minister  to  3<  >,000  people,  and  one  Presbyterian 
church  to  34,000 people.  Tn  1870,  the  population  was 
786,791,  and  our  ministers  197,  and  our  churches  183, 
or  one  Presbyterian  minister  to  about  40,000  people, 
and  one  Presbyterian  Church  to  a  little  more  than  the 
same  number.  In  1876,  the  Synod  contains  18-1  minis- 
ters and  167  churches.  The  decline  in  the  last  six 
years  is  only  apparent,  for  some  Congregation  a  I  churches 
and  ministers  have  been  transferred  to  Associations, 
and  the  Rolls  of  Presbyteries  have  been  purged,  and 
though  churches  and  ministers  have  fallen  off,  1,500 
have  been  added  to  the  list  of  communicants.  In 
L776,  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  the  U.  S.  A.  had 
L43  ministers;  losing  by  the  Revolution,  it  had  but 
L30  in  L780,  and  188  in  1788.  At  the  commence- 
ment of  the  present  century,  it  had  aboul  200  ministers 
and 400  churches.  In  L815  the  increase  was  529  min- 
isters, 859  churches  and  39,685  communicants.  From 
L815  to  L825,  540  were  added  to  the  number  of  minis- 
ters and  over  L,000  to  the  number  of  churches,  and  80,- 
000,  or  800  per  ct  to  the  Dumber  of  communicants. 
[mmigration,  the  incorporation  of  the  Associated  Presby- 
teries, and  of  a  considerable  portion  of  the  Associate  Re- 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  99 

formed  Churcli,  missionary  enterjn-i.se,  and  revivals  of 
religion  explain  this  wonderful  growth.  During  the 
next  decade  the  rate  was  reduced  by  the  Old  and  New 
School  controversy.  In  1840,  when  the  two  branches 
had  been  consolidated,  each  by  itself,  the  Old  School 
had  1,221  ministers  and  1,663  churches  and  126,000 
communicants,  and  the  New  School  1,260  ministers, 
1,375  churches  and  102,000  communicants — a  total  of 
2,481  ministers,  3,138  churches  and  228,000  communi- 
cants. The  New  School  suffered  subsequently  from 
the  withdrawal  of  Congregational  elements  from  it,  and 
of  six  Synods  and  21  Presbyteries  in  slaveholding  States, 
but  notwithstanding  this  it  gained  in  ten  years  (1850) 
300  ministers  and  200  churches  and  36,000  communi- 
cants. The  Old  School  doubled  in  the  same  period, 
outstripping  the  New  fourfold.  Its  time  of  bereave- 
ment, however,  came  in  1861.  when  it  lost  10  Synods, 
45  Presbyteries,  741  ministers.  1,134  churches  and 
76,000  communicants  in  the  South.  By  1869.  it  made 
up  a  considerable  pari  of  the  loss,  reporting  then 
2:381  ministers,  2,740  churches  and  258,903  com- 
municants, while  the  New  School  counted  in  that 
year  1,848  ministers,  1,631  churches  and  172,860  com- 
municants, and  in  L870  the  reunited  church  contained 
4,238  ministers,  t,526  churches  and  146,561  communi- 
cants -more  by  2,078  ministers,  1,661  churches  and 
226,004  communicants  than  a1  the  disruption.  The 
net  gain  since  bag  been  400  ministers,  fc61  churches 
and  79,882  communicants  a  total  now  of  1.711  min- 
isters, 5,077  churches  and  585,210  communicants.  In 
one  hundred  years  our  church  has  thererefore  multiplied 
itself  more  than  sixty  times 


100  PRESBYTERIANISM  IN  THE 

All  the  evangelical  churches  in  the  laud  in  1776  con- 
tained  but  1,443  ministers  and  1,943  churches,  and  they 
contain  now  58,068  ministers  and  91,760  churches,  with 
upwards  of  6,000,000  of  communicants  and  15,000,000  of 
attendants.  In  1776  there  was  one  house  of  worship 
for  every  1,700  of  the  population,  and  there  is  one  for 
v  529  in  1876 — one  minister  then  for  every 
2,053  souls,  and  one  now  for  every  757:  one  church 
then  for  every  1,53$  of  the  people,  and  one  now 
for  every  535.  While  the  inhabitants  of  the  country 
have  multiplied  fourteenfold,  the  churches  have  multi- 
plied nearly  rii'tyfold. 

Presbyterianism  in  Central  New  York  was  horn  and 
nurtured  under  the  happiest  auspices.  The  best  of  min- 
isters  waited  upon  it,  generally  the  Alumni  of  eastern 
colleges  and  seminaries,  intelligent  and  disciplined,  earn- 
est and  faithful,  orthodox  and  orderly,  and  they  saw  to 
it  that  their  succession  was  kept  up,  and  candidates  for 
ordination  and  applicants  from  foreign  bodies  were 
thoroughly  examined  as  to  their  piety  and  literary  and 
theological  attainments. 

The  example  of  Onondaga  Presbytery  will  illustrate 
the  practice  of  all.     It  adopted  the  rule  at  its  organiza 
tion  and  as  fundamental  in  its  Constitution, 

■•  We  believe  lhal  the  influence  and  utility  of  the  christian  min- 
istry will  ordinarily  be  in  proportion  to  the  education,  talent?  and 
piety  of  those  who  sustain  the  sacred  office,  and  that  not  only  the 
order  snd  office,  bn1  Christianity  itself  arc  dishonored,  and  church 
and  society  injured  by  unlettered  and  incompetent  teachers,  and 
we  view  ourselves  responsible  for  all  the  mischief  which  may  aiise 
from  this  sour.-.'  through  our  means  or  inattention,  therefore 

B*  i  ■'<  i  d,  Thai  extraordinary  instances  excepted,  we  will  neither 
1  rage  01  admit    to  examination    before  us,   any  applicant  for 


a  YXOD  OF  CES  TEA  L  NE  W  Y  OR  K.  LOi 

license  to  preach,  as  a  candidate,  unless  he  shall  have  received  a 
degree  at  some  college,  or  shall  produce  evidence  of  having  stud- 
ied the  languages,  arts  and  sciences,  under  some  able  teacher  or 
teachers,  and  unless  he  be  found  on  examination  to  possess  a  good 
degree  of  knowledge  in  the  Latin  and  (ireek  languages,  English 
Grammar,  Mathematics,  Logic,  Rhetoric,  Geography  and  Natural 
Philosophy,  and  as  no  one  ought  to  take  upon  him  the  work  of 
the  gospel  ministry  unless  he  possess  a  competent  degree  of 
knowledge  in  theology,  be  sound  in  faith,  of  good  report,  and  is 
really  friendly  to  Christ  and  his  cause,  we  will  ever  make  it  a  rule 
not  to  introduce  any  one  as  a  preacher  of  the  gospel, or  as  a  pastor 
of  a  church,  unless  our  minds  be  satisfied  that  be  these 

qualifications." 

Great  stress  was  laid  on  doctrinal  truth  and  it  entered 
largely  into  preaching  and  conversation   as  the  prime 
and  principal  element  of  christian   experience  and  liv- 
ing.    Diversities  existed  in  the  statements  of  it  and  in 
te  subordinate  details,  but  with  a  general  agreement  in 
bstance  and  sum — Calvinism  being  the  system  that 
accepted  and  exacted     And  means  were  employed 
to  enable  young  men  to  fulfill  what        -        [uired  of 
them.     Academi  founded,  several  under  eccle- 

siastical patronage  an4  control,  as  at  Onondaga,  Water- 
town,  Whites  Union  and  Franklin,  and  Oneida 
Academy,  was  developed  into  Bamilton  I  .  and 
Princeton  Seminary  alwi  I  on  the  dockets  of 
and  Synods  until  Auburn  Seminary  took 
the  place.  And  continued  study  after  entering  the 
ministry  was  assumed  to  bea  large  pan  of  its  work  and 
strenuous  n  was  made  to  furnish  facilities  for  if. 
In  L818  the  Albany  Synod 

•Theei  *li«-  Whiteeboro   Seminary  wi 

for  tuition,  room  rent   fuel  ami  conttagenciet 
for  board. 


102  PRESBYTERIAN  Ii>M  IN  THE 

"  Resolved,  That  it  be  the  duty  of  the  Presbyteries  under  the 
care  of  this  Synod  to  take  measures  for  the  establishment  of  Theo- 
logical Libraries  in  each  of  the  congregations  under  their  care,  for 
the  use  of  their  respective  pastors,  and  that  the  amount  of  moneys 
raised  in  each  congregation  for  this  purpose,  the  number  of  vol- 
umes purchased  and  the  general  state  of  said  Libraries  be  added 
as  a  separate  article  in  the  annual  Presbyterial  reports." 

Frequent  action  in  accordance  with  this  injunction  is 
mentioned  in  the  Oneida  Presbytery  Minutes. 

And  the  ministers  did  not  fear  to  hold  their  faithful- 
ness subject  to  inspection  and  account.  At  the  second 
meeting  of  the  Presbytery  of  Oneida,  (1802.)  it  was  re- 
solve* 1  "That  the  Ministers  of  this  Presbytery  be  annu- 
ally called  upon  to  answer  for  their  fidelity  in  the  dis- 
charge of  their  ministerial  functions."  and  the  same  was 
repeated  totidem  verbisin  1805.  The  Minutes  of  Ogdens- 
burg  Presbytery  in  1823,  record,  "Hadan  inquiry  into 
ministerial  fidelity.*'  and  this  is  repeated  in  the  same 
Minutes  for  1825. 


CARE    IN    THE    FORMATION    OF   CHURCHES  AND  WATCH- 
FULNESS   OVER    THEM    AND    DILIGENCE 

IN    TRAINING    Til  KM. 

A-  might  he  presumed,  churches  were  formed  by 
ministers  with  scrupulous  care,  >ni<l  admitted  to  iJte  Pres- 
byteries  only  after  thorough  examination,  <ni<l  watchedand 
served  with  great  vigilanct  "ml  diligence.  Prior  to  the 
mization  of  a  church,  it  was  usual  for  those  who 
proposed  to  constitute  it  to  meet  a  minister  the  day 
previously,  and  give  an  account  of  their  religious  experi- 
ence and  Christian  knowledge,  and  those  who  were 
approved   met   him  again  the  next  day;  and  gave  their 


SYXOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  103 

assent  to  a  short,  comprehensive  confession  of  faith  and 
a  form  of  covenant  with  each  other  and  with  God. 
Various  confessions  of  faith  and  forms  of  covenant  were 
employed,  but  they  all  agreed  in  the  substance  of  doc- 
trine and  in  the  essentials  of  the  Calvinistic  creed.  An 
illustration  of  the  usual  principles  of  procedure  is 
found   in  the  action  of  the  Presbytery  of  Oneida   in 

1  Bl  '•"-  : 

1.  It  is  the  duty  of  Sessions  to  examine  candidates  for  admis- 
sion to  the  church  as  *o  soundness  in  the  faith— a  work  of  grace 
in  the  heart,  and  practical  piety;  and  none  shall  be  received  but 
such  as  give  scriptural  evidence  of  regeneration  and  evangelical 
faith  and  holiness.  2.  When  members  from  other  churches  apply 
for  admission,  besides  requiring  letters  of  recommendation,  it  is 
expedient  that  the  Sessions  of  the  churches  under  the  care  of  this 
■ytery  make  such  inquiries  respecting  their  faith  and  prac- 
tice as  shall  afford  them  satisfactory  evidence  of  their  knowledge 
and  piety.  3.  That  the  churches  may  be  guarded  as  much  as 
possible  against  the  introduction  of  improper  characters,  candi- 
dates shall  be  propounded  for  admission  at  least  two  weeks  in 
advance.  4.  All  persons  about  to  be  admitted  to  any  church, 
having  been  examined,  propounded  for  two  weeks,  and  approved, 
shall  adopt  before  the  congregation  the  following  abstract  of  the 
confession  of  faith  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  or  the  confession 
of  faith  itself,  with  the  following  form  of  covenant  obligations. 
da  Bee.  l 

ABSTRACT   OF    I  UK   I  3IOH    OP    1AII  II. 

I.  Do   you    believe  that    there  is  one  only  living  ami    true  God 
that  his  existence  and   perfections  are  infinite,  eternal   and  un- 
changeable;   that    by   him  all    thin.  :  eated.  and   are  c«>n 
itantly  preserved  ami  governed;  and  that  be  worketh  all  things 
according  to  the  counsel  of  his  own  srilll 

II.  Do   you    believe  that  God    has  mad.-  a  r.\  elation  of  hffl  will 

to  mankind,  which  is  contained  in  the  scriptures  ol  the  old  ami 

New  Testaments,  and  which    is  a   perfect,  Sufficient    and    unalter 
able  rule  of  faith  and  practical 


1 0  J:  PRESB  YTER1A  NISM  IN  THE 

III.  Do  you  believe  that  there  are  three  persons  in  the  Godhead, 
the  Father,  the  Son  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  that  these  three  are 
one  God — the  same  in  substance,  equal  in  power  and  glory  ? 

IV.  Do  you  believe  that  God  at  first  made  man  in  his  own 
image,  after  his  own  likeness,  and  entered  into  a  covenant  of  life 
with  him  upon  the  condition  of  perfect  obedience;  that  our  first 
parents  broke  that  covenant,  and  by  their  apostacy  brought  sin 
and  ruin  upon  themselves  and  all  their  posterity? 

V.  Do  you  believe  that  God,  in  mercy,  and  of  his  own  good 
pleasure,  hath  provided  a  glorious  Mediator,  the  second  person  in 
the  Trinity,  the  eternal  Son  of  God;  that, by  taking  human  nature 
into  personal  union  with  himself,  he  became  truly  man,  and  has, 
in  our  nature,  made  an  atonement  for  the  sins  of  mankind  by 
enduring  the  penalty  of  God's  law,  and  wrought  everlasting 
righteousness  by  rendering  perfect  obedience  to  its  precepts  ? 

VI.  Do  you  believe  that  mankind  are  totally  depraved,  and 
wholly  indisposed  to  embrace  the  gospel  salvation  until  their 
hearts  are  renewed  by  the  sovereign  and  almighty  influence  of 
the  Holy  Spirit  ? 

VII.  Do  you  believe  that  all  who  exercise  repentance  towards 
God,  and  faith  in  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  are  immediately  par- 
doned and  justified,  only  through  the  merits  of  the  Redeemer, 
and  shall  be  more  and  more  sanctified,  and  kept  by  the  power  of 
God  through  faith  unto  salvation? 

VIII.  Do  you  believe  that  regeneration  is  a  necessary  qualifica- 
tion for  church  fellowship  '.' 

IX  Do  you  believe  that  true  Christians  are  delivered  from  the 
condemnation  of  the  law;  that  their  obligations  to  obey  its  pre- 
cepts are  not  at  all  removed,  but  remain  with  greater  force;  that 
Done  are  sinless  until  perfectly  conformed  to  the  law;  and  that 
Done  attain  perfect  ion  in  this  life? 

X.  Do  you  believe  that  the  promises  of  the  gospel  are  made 
only  to  Bincere  believers;  that  none  can  have  scriptural  evidence 
of  their  interest  in  Christ  but  by  the  holy  exercises  of  their  own 
hearts,  and  the  fruits  of  those  exercises  ;  and  that  these  are 
accessary  to  give  assurance  of  their  own  salvation? 

XI.  Do  you  believe  that  Jesus  Christ  has  a  church  in  the  world; 
thai  the  ordinances  of  the  Lord's  Supper  and  of  Baptism  are  holy 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  105 

institutions,  appointed  by  Christ  for  the  comfort  and  edification 
of  his  church;  and  that  none  but  believers  have  a  right  to  the 
first,  and  believers  with  their  offspring  to  the  second  ? 

XII.  Do  you  believe  that  there  will  be  a  resurrection  of  the 
dead,  and  a  day  of  general  judgment,  in  which  Christ  will  judge 
the  whole  world;  that  he  will  then  doom  the  finally  impenitent 
to  endless  destruction,  and  conduct  the  redeemed  to  the  happiness 
and  glory  of  his  eternal  kingdom  ? 

COVENANT. 

You  do  now  solemnly  avouch  the  Lord  Jehovah,  Father,  Son 
and  Holy  Ghost,  to  be  your  God;  and,  renouncing  all  ungodliness 
and  every  worldly  lust,  unreservedly  dedicate  yourself  to  Him 
and  to  His  service  forever. 

You  rely  on  the  righteousness  and  atonement  of  Christ  alone 
for  pardon  and  acceptance  with  God. 

You  cordially  accept  Jesus  Christ  as  your  king  and  your  saviour, 
and  the  Holy  Ghost  as  your  sanctifier  and  comforter. 

You  receive  God's  holy  word  as  the  only  infallible  rule  of  faith 
and  practice;  and  solemnly  engage,  by  the  help  of  divine  grace, 
to  conform  to  it  by  living  soberly  and  righteously  and  godly  in 
the  world. 

You  promise  diligently  to  attend  on  all  the  institutions  of  the 
gospel,  especially  public  worship,  and  the  strict  observance  of  the 
holy  Sabbath. 

You  engage  to  maintain  family  and  secret  prayer;  to  give  up 
your  children  to  God  in  baptism;  to  educate  and  govern  them, 
and  labor  to  trail]  them  up  in  the  nurture  and  admonition  of  the 
Lord. 

You  covenant  to  walk  in  brotherly  love  with  tins  chnrch;  to 
watch  over  and  admonish  tin-  brethren;  to  Bobmit  to  government 
and  discipline  as  here  dispensed;  and  to  live  re  do  res 

sonable  ground  of  oil'. 

JTou  do  publiclj  engage  to  assist,  according  to  your  ability,  in 
supporting  the  Institution!  and  Interests  of  the  Redeemer*!  king- 
dom in  t his  society. 

You  do  also  promise  thai  yon  will  endeavor'to  recommend  oar 
holy  religion  to  all  by  faithfully  practicing  justice,  good  nose, 
mercy,  temperance,  patience  and  charity. 


106  PRESBYTERIANISM  IN  THE 

All  this  you  covenant  and  promise  in  humble  dependence  on 
the  assistance  of  divine  grace,  earnestly  praying  that  God  may 
enable  you  to  be  faithful  and  steadfast  in  his  covenant. 

In  repeated  instances  creeds  presented  by  churches  when 
applying  for  connection  with  Presbyteries,  were  referred 
hurl:  for  amendment,  and  especially  ivere  they  sure  of  being 
remanded,  if  faulty  oi+defective  in  the  doctrines  of  grace  ; 
and  notice  was  quickly  taken  of  it,  if  churches  altered  and 
impaired  their  forms  of  sound  doctrines.  Thus  the  Pres- 
bytery of  Utica  pronounced  the  articles  of  faith  of  the 
church  of  Remsen  (1851)  "defective  in  the  important 
doctrines  of  the  Presb}rterian  Church,  such  as  Divine 
Sovereignty,  the  Perseverance  of  the  Saints  and  Infant 
Baptism,'"  and  they  requested  the  church  to  revise  their 
articles  of  faith,  making  them  "more  in  accordance 
with  the  doctrines  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  before 
their  connection  with  Presbytery;"  and  the  Presbytery 
of  Onondaga  unanimously  declared  (1834)  that  a  change 
in  the  creed  of  the  Jamesville  Church  creed  made  it 
"essentially  defective/'  inasmuch  as  it  did  not  formally 
state  the  Decrees  of  God,  Election,  rhe  moral  obligation 
of  the  Christian  Sabbath,  and  of  Infant  Baptism,"  and 
a  committee  was  appointed  to  "prevail  on  the  church 
to  readopl  their  first  confession  of  faith."  The  last 
named  Presbytery  expressed  its  "regret,"  in  1833.  "to 
learn  the  fad  thai  some  of  the  churches  under  their 
care  have  expunged  from  their  articles  «>f  faith  certain 
articles  in  reference  to  the  mode  and  subjects  of  bap- 
tism, with  some  others  in  reference  to  doctrines ;  where- 
upon, 

//>"7  <?.  That  the  churches  in  conned  ion  with  tliis  Presbyten 
be  required  to  product-  at  the  next  stated  meeting  the  confession 
of  faith  in  each  for  the  admission  of  members." 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  107 

On  their  examination  all  the  creeds  were  approved,, 
save  that  of  Onondaga  Hill,  in  relation  to  infant  bap- 
tism;  and  it  having  been  plead  that  the  General  As- 
sembly had  authorized  the  several  churches  to  make 
such  a  change  as  appeared  there,  the  Presbytery  denied 
the  fact,  and  requested  the  church  to  conform  the  arti- 
cles to  the  Presbyterian  standards  ;  and  for  the  sake  of 
uniformity,  the  churches  of  the  Presbytery  were  ad- 
vised to  adopt  the  confession  of  faith  and  covenant  of 
the  First  Church  of  Syracuse,  as  follow s  : 

I.  We  believe  that  there  is  but  one  God,  the  creator,  preserver 
and  moral  governor  of  the  universe;  a  being  of  infinite  power, 
knowledge,  wisdom,  justice,  goodness  and  truth;  the  self  existent 
independent,  incorruptible  fountain  of  good. 

II.  We  believe  that  the  scriptures  of  the  Old  and  New  Testa- 
ments were  given  by  the  inspiration  of  Giod;  that  they  are  profit- 
able for  doctrine,  for  correction,  for  reproof,  and  for  instruction  in 
righteousness,  and  that  they  are  our  only  rule  of  doctrinal  belief 
and  religious  practice. 

III.  We  believe  that  the  words  of  divine  existence  are  such  as 
lay  a  foundation  for  a  distinction  into  three  persons,  the  Father, 
the  Son  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  that  these  three  are  one  in 
essence  and  equal  in  power  and  glory. 

IV.  We  believe  that  God  has  made  all  things  for  himself;  that 
known  unto  him  are  all  his  works  from  the  beginning;  and  that 
he  governs  all  things  according  to  the  counsel  of  his  own  will. 

V.  We  believe  that  the  divine  law  and  the  principles  and 
administration  of  the  divine  government  an-  perfectly  holy,  just 
and  good,  and  that  all  rational  beings  are  bound  to  approve  of 
them  as  such. 

VI.  We  believe  thai  God  at  first  created  man  in  his  own  Im 

in  a  State   of  rectitude   and    holiness,  and    that    he    fell    t'r.mi    that 

state  by  transgressing  the  divine  command  in  the  article  of  for- 
bidden  fruit. 

VII.  We  believe  that  In  consequence  «»t  the  apostacj .  the  heart 

Of  man,  in  his  natural  state,  is  destitue  of   holiness,  and  in  a  state 

of  positive  disaffection  with  the  law,  character  and  government 


1 08  PRESBYTER1AMSM  IN  THE 

of  God;  and  that  all  men  previous  to  regeneration  are  dead  in 
trespass  and  sin. 

VIII.  We  believe  that  Christ,  the  Son  of  God,  has,  by  his  obe 
dience,  sufferings  and  death,  made  atonement  for  sin;  that  he  is 
the  only  Redeemer  of  sinners,  and  that  all  who  are  saved  will  be 
altogether   indebted   to  the  grace  and   mercy  of  God    for  their 
salvation. 

IX.  We  believe  that  although  the  invitations  of  the  gospel  are 
such  that  whosoever  will  may  come  and  take  of  the  waters  of  life 
freely,  yet  the  depravity  of  the  human  heart  is  such  that  no  man 
will  come  to  Christ  except  the  Father,  by  the  special  and  effica- 
cious influences  of  his  spirit,  draw  him. 

X.  We  believe  that  those  who  embrace  the  gospel  are  chosen 
in  Christ  before  the  foundation  of  the  world;  that  they  should  be 
holy  and  without  blame  before  him  in  love,  and  that  they  are 
saved,  not  by  works  of  righteousness  which  they  have  done,  but 
according  to  the  distinguishing  mercy  of  God,  through  sanctifica- 
tiou  of  the  Spirit  and  belief  of  the  truth. 

XT.  We  believe  that  those  who  cordially  embrace  Christ, 
although  they  may  be  left  to  fall  into  sin,  never  will  be  left 
finally  to  fall  away  and  perish;  but  will  be  kept  by  the  power  of 
God  through  faith  unto  salvation. 

XII.  We  believe  that  watchfulness  over  the  life,  holy  medita- 
tion, a  conscientious  attention  upon  public,  family  and  secret 
worship,  together  with  the  steady  practice  of  righteousness,  truth, 
sincerity  and  charity  towards  man,  and  of  sobriety,  chastity  and 
temperance  towards  ourselves,  are  the  indispensable  duties  of 
every  Christian. 

XIII.  We  believe  that  .there  will  be  a  general  resurrection  of 
the  bodies,  both  of  the  just  and  of  the  unjust, 

XIV.  We  believe  that  all  mankind  must  one  day  stand  before 
tlit-  judgment  seat  of  Christ,  to  receive  a  just  and  final  sentence 
of  n-trihution  according  to  the  deeds  done  in  the  body;  and  that 
at  ilic  day  of  judgment  the  Mate  of  all  will  be  unalterably  fixed; 
and  that  tbe  punishment  of  the  wicked  and  the  happiness  of  the 
righteous  will  be  endless. 

XV.  We  believe  that  Christ  has  a  visible  church  in  the  world, 
into  which  none  in  the  sight  of  God  but  real  believers,  and  none 
in  the  sight  of  man  hut  visible  believers,  have  right  of  admission. 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  109 

XVI.  We  believe  that  the  sacraments  of  the  New  Testament 
are  Baptism  and  the  Lord's  Supper;  that  believers  in  regular 
church  standing  only  can  consistently  partake  of  the  Lord's  Sup- 
per, and  that  visible  believers  and  their  households  only  can  con- 
sistently be  admitted  to  the  ordinance  of  Baptism. 

Great  effort  was  made  to  keep  up  and  promote  intelli- 
gence and  orthodoxy  in  the  churches.  In  their  earl)'  days, 
the  Presbyteries  busied  themselves  in  circulating  the 
standards  of  the  church  and  religious  books  generally. 
and  their  records  abound  in  accounts  of  this  work. 
Money  was  raised  for  it  and  ministers  were  appointed 
depositaries  and  distributors. 

Especial  attention  was  given  to  the  instruction  of  chih, a In  n 
and  youth.     In  1812  the  Presbytery  of  Onondaga 

Resolved,  That  it  enjoins  it  on  all  the  churches  belonging  to  this 
body,  to  meet  with  themselves,  as  often  as  maybe,  for  the  purpose 
of  Christian  instruction,  and  that  the  ministers  and  churches  en- 
deavor to  instruct  the  children  of  the  church  on  the  subject  of 
their  relation  to  God  and  of  their  obligation  to  comply  with  all  the 
ordinances  of  his  appointment.  We,  the  ministers  and  elders, 
agree  to  assist  each  other  in  attending  to  the  interesting  duties  in- 
cumbent on  us  with  respect  to  the  instruction  of  the  church  on  the 
above  subject. 

Soon  after,  the  same  Presbytery 

Resolved,  That  every  professing  parent,  guardian  or  master  <>f 
a  family  observe  the  duty  of  instructing  his  household  in  the  great 
doctrines  of  our  holy  religion,  of  inculcating  in  their  minds  the 
obligations  they  are  under  to  God,  and  the  covenant  relation  thej 
stand  in  to  him,  taking  for  a  general  text  book  of  Instruction,  tlui 
Catechism  of  tin-  Westminster  Assembly  of  Divines.  That  such 
parents,  guardians  and  masters  commit  their  households  to  tin-  in- 
struction of  the  church  and  bring  them  or  cause  them  to  be  brought 

to  such    place  or  placet  of   instruction  SB  the  regular  authority  of 

the  church  may  from  time  to  time  appoint  ;  that  each  church  ap- 
point certain  judicious  and   piOUfl  members  "f  the  church  as  cats 
OhistB,  tO  gO  from  house  to  house  and  c  mi  ier  w  it  h  professing  chris- 


HO  PRESB TTERIANISM  IN  TEE 

tians  on  the  importance  of  instructing  their  households  in  the  prin- 
ciples of  religion,  and  to  appoint  certain  places  where  the  children 
of  a  particular  neighborhood  or  section  of  the  congregation  may 
meet  at  stated  times  for  the  purpose  of  receiving  religious  instruc- 
tion from  such  churches  ;  that  the  ministers  and  elders  or  other 
authority  of  the  churches,  call  a  general  meeting  of  all  the  chil- 
dren of  the  church  quarter-yearly,  for  the  purpose  of  furnishing- 
them  such  religious  and  moral  instruction  as  their  several  circum- 
stances on  examination  of  their  views  and  feelings  shall  appear 
to  require.* 

The  first  Presbyteries  had  no  doubts  about  the  church 
membership  of  baptized  children^  but  there  was  at  least 
a  diversity  in  the  degree  of  the  conviction  that  they  were 
liable  to  church  discipline.  Oneida  (1805,)  hesitated  in 
regard  to  it,  and  after  repeated  and  protracted  discussions, 
overtured  it  as  a  question  to  the  Synod.     Onondaga 

Resolved,  (1812,)  That  every  church  hold  all  the  children  of  the 
church  under  12  years  old,  responsible  to  the  church  for  their 
future  conduct  ;  that  the  church  never  afterward  relinquish  their 
inspection  and  discipline  ;  that  such  children  hereafter  stand  on 
the  same  ground,  submit  to  the  same  salutary  correction  for  their 
reformation  and  repentance,  or  the  same  sentence  of  exclusion  to 
which  the  other  members  are  subject ;  and  that  the  names  of  all 
such  children  be  added  to  the  catalogue  of  members  now  enrolled 
as  constituting  the  church;  it  being  understood  at  the  same  time, 
that  they  shall  profess  their  faith  in  order  to  a  participation  of 
the  Lord's  Supper. 

The  Synod  of  Utica  recommended  it  to  the  ministers 
belonging  to  it,  to  preach  in  November  every  year,  "  on 
the  privileges  and  obligations  of  the  Abrahamic  cove- 
nant, presenting  distinctly  the  duty  of  pious  parents  to 
dedicate  their  infant  children  to  God  in  baptism,  their 

*These  catechetical  and  other  religious  instructions  are  sometimes 
mistaken  for  the  modern  system  of  Sunday  Schools  and  are  quoted 
as  early  institutions  of  it. 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  Ill 

responsibilities  in  connection  with  their  religious  train- 
ing and  the  precious  grounds  of  expectation  and  confi- 
dence that  if  found  faithful,  saving  blessings"  would 
follow :  it  was  directed  that  baptized  children  should  be 
statedly  assembled  for  special  instruction  and  taken  un- 
der the  special  watch  and  care  of  the  churches,  and  they 
were  particularly  to  be  taught  the  Assembly's  Catechism ; 
and  inquiries  as  to  the  fulfillment  of  all  this  were  made 
a  rule  for  every  meeting  of  Synod ;  and  at  the  first 
meeting  of  the  Synod  (1829),  its  Presbyteries  were  di- 
rected to  inquire  regularly  as  to  the  practice  of  infant 
baptism  in  their  churches  and  to  require  their  ministers 
to  preach  on  the  subject,  and  the  minutes  of  the  Synod 
record  the  inquiries  it  made  as  to  the  observance  of 
these  resolutions,  and  its  narratives  relate  with  joy  the 
attention  given  to  them.  In  1853,  this  Synod  published 
a  pastoral  address  on  the  subject  worthy  of  being  again 
and  again  sent  forth. 

It  indicates  the  interest  taken  in  children  by  the 
fathers  of  the  ministry  on  this  field,  and  their  estimate 
of  infant  baptism,  that  eighteen  pages  of  the  first  vol- 
ume of  the  records  of  the  church  of  Lisle  are  filled 
with  the  names  of  those  to  whom  the  seal  of  the  cove- 
nant was  applied  by  the  hands  of  Seth  Williston  and 
Henry  Ford.  Daring  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  Henrj 
Dwight  at  Utica,  from  1818  to  1816,  L98were  placed  on 
the  baptismal  roll;  290  were  baptized  at  Oneonta  dur- 
ing the  first  seventeen  years  of  the  church  there  and 
upwards  of  170  during  its  first  eight  years 

The  Westminster  Catechism  was  furnished  to  the 
congregations  a1  an  early  day  by  repeated  special  efi 


112  PRESBYTERIANISM  IN  THE 

and  it  would  be  tedious  to  quote  the  earnest  recom- 
mendations of  it  by  all  the  Presbyteries,  from  the  first 
until  now.  Ever  and  anon  each  of  the  number  was 
stirred  to  warm  eulogium  upon  it  and  to  earnest  en- 
treaty that  families  and  Sunday  Schools  would  faith- 
fully teach  it.  Delaware  begged  "  parents  and  heads  of 
families  to  gather  their  households  once  a  week  and  teach 
it  to  them."  Tioga  instructed  its  ministers  to  have 
••stated  seasons  for  the  public  examination  of  children 
in  the  catechism,"  and  afterwards  reported  that  several 
pastors  gave  stated  lectures  on  it.  Cortland  reports 
that  it  is  taught  in  the  Sunday  Schools  and  that  Bibles 
are  given  as  rewards  for  commiting  it  to  memory ;  that 
"the  duty  of  instruction  in  it  has  been  successfully 
enforced  and  encouraged,  and  that  some  have  studied 
the  catechism  in  connection  with  proof- texts  and  illus- 
trations from  the  Bible,  while  others  are  able  to  recite 
the  whole  with  accuracy."* 

Bible  classes  were  commended  from  the  time  of  their 
institution,  and  the  "American  Bible  Class  Society" 
welcomed  at  its  organization,  {Synod  Utica  1  :  6,  8,)  and 

*  It  is  tlie  fashion  somewhat  to  decry  and  denounce  this  inimitable 
compend  of  divine  truth,  as  a  text  book  for  youth,  and  particularly 
to  scout  the  thought  of  its  effectiveness  in  informing  and  drilling 
the  mind,  and  shaping  the  character  and  life.  But  incomprehensi- 
ble as  it  may  be,  it  wields  a  mighty  power.  Mr.  Ticknor,  of  Bos- 
ton, the  publisher  and  literateur,  wrote  to  Maria  Edgeworth  in 
substance,  that  the  metaphysical  turn  of  New  England  thinking 
was  due  to  this  little  book,  and  he  quotes  and  endorses  a  remark 
which  he  says  was  repeatedly  made  to  him  by  "  one  of  the  most 
practically  wise  statesmen  "  of  the  land,  to  the  effect  that  we 
should  have  never  had  our  Revolution,  if  the  people  had  not  been 
in  t  lie  habit  for  a  century  of  discussing  the  Westminster  Assembly's 
Catechism. 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  H3 

scarcely  a  session  of  Synod  or  Presbytery  was  held  after 
the  introduction  of  Sunday  Schools,  without  some  action 
in  reference  to  them,  and  in  no  narrative  of  religion  do 
they  fail  prominently  to  appear.  In  1831,  the  Synod 
of  Utica  ''heard  with  pleasure  of  the  formation  of  ma- 
ternal associations  in  some  of  its  congregations,"  and 
resolved  that  all  the  pastors  and  elders  be  recommended 
to  have  them  formed  in  their  respective  congregations. 

As  both  an  indication  of  the  intelligence  of  the 
churches  and  a  contribution  to  it,  the  further  facts  should 
be  stated,  that  in  1812  the  Oneida  Presbytery  projected 
the  Western  Magazine,  afterwards  called  the  Utica  CJi  ris- 
tian  Magazine,  and  applied  to  the  Oneida  Association 
for  cooperation  in  it:  and  for  successive  years  it  appointed 
a  committee  to  "  superintend  "  it,  in  conjunction  with 
the  Oneida  Association  :  and  in  1822  it  gave  its  end< 
ment  to  the  Utica  Christian  Repository,  to  which  suc- 
ceeded the  Western  Recorder,  in  1832,  while  the  Sunday 
School  Visitant^  1829,  believed  to  be  the  first  Sunday 
School  paper  published  in  the  country,  and  the  Mother's 
Magazine,  also  published  at  Qtica,  addressed  themselves 
to  parents,  teachers  and  youth,  and  in  1846  the  Religious 
Recorder  was  established  by  individuals  at  Syracuse, 
but  with  the  cordial  endorsement  of  the  Presbytery  of 
( Inondaga 

While  truth  in  general  was  thus  diligently  taught,  a 
vigilant  watch  was  kept  up  to  guard  the  churches  against 
the  errors  and  evils  that  threatened  or  assailed  them 
from  time  to  time.  References  from  them  were  patiently 
beard  ami  adjudicated  conscientiously  if  not  always  cor- 
rectly.    The  church  at  New    Bartford,    for  example, 


114  PRESB  YTERIANlbM  IN  THE 

asked  what  should  be  done  with  one  of  its  members 
who  denied  the  divinity  of  Christ,  and  it  was  told  to 
exclude  him.  The  Oneida  Presbytery  was  asked 
whether  it  was  proper  to  dismiss  church  members  to 
Baptist  societies,  and  replied  affirmatively,  and  in  1815, 
the  Presbytery  of  Onondaga  censured  one  of  its  min- 
isters for  speaking  harshly  of  Baptists.  The  Presbytery 
of  Tioga,  in  its  early  youth,  pronounced  against  the 
dismission  of  church  members  to  Methodist  societies, 
but  made  amends  for  this  in  its  maturity,  by  inviting- 
Methodist  preachers  to  seats  at  its  meetings.  During 
the  war  of  1812,  the  Oneida  Presbytery  pronounced  it 
a  disciplinable  offense  for  a  member  of  the  Whitesboro 
church,  who  had  entered  the  army,  to  beat  the  drum  on 
Sunday;  but  in  1819,  it  referred  it  to  the  General  As- 
sembly to  decide  whether  a  stage  proprietor,  who  carried 
the  mail  on  Sunday,  should  be  admitted  to  the  church,, 
and  that  body  pronounced  against  it.  Worldly  amuse- 
ments were  frequently  considered  and  opinions  expressed 
about  them,  and  ever  and  anon  pastoral  addresses  were 
sent  out.  In  1825,  the  Otsego  Presbytery  declared 
attendance  at  dancing  parties  and  balls  a  disciplinable 
offense,  and  if  unrepented  of,  deserving  excommuni- 
cation, and  a  carefully  drawn  paper  by  the  Onondaga 
Presbytery  on  dancing,  and  dancing  schools  and  card 
playing,  is  worthy  of  notice. 

A  considerable  part  of  the  territory  of  the  Synod  is 
a  dairy  district,  and  Sunday  cheese  making  or  the  fur- 
nishing of  milk  on  Sunday  to  cheese  factories,  were  re- 
peatedly denounced  and  earnest  appeals  published  to 
refrain  from  them.  Hop  growing  also  is  extensively 
pursued,  and  speaking  in  the  midst  of  it  and  to  people 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  115 

who  are  infatuated  by  it,  and  as  sensitive  as  liquor  sellers 
to  interference  in  their  business,  the  Synod  of  Susque- 
hannah 

Resolved,  That  we  have  long  been  convinced  that  hop  growing- 
is  altogether  unjustifiable  and  wrong,  and  its  tendency  is  to  pro- 
mote immorality  and  irreligion,  the  decay  of  churches  and  the  ruin 
of  souls:  and  that  we  now  enter  our  solemn  protest  against  this 
fruitful  source  of  intemperance,  Sabbath  breaking,  licentiousness 
and  other  forms  of  vice  and  wickedness,  and  exhort  the  members 
of  our  congregations,  who  may  be  engaged  in  this  business,  to 
abandon  it  immediately  and  to  have  no  fellowship  with  this  un- 
fruitful work  of  darkness. 

MINISTERS'   SALARIES. 

While  instruction  was  given  to  the  churches,  and 
also  warning,  the  performance  of  duty  was  pressed  upon 
them.  From  the  first,  they  were  urged  to  a  prompt  and 
full  payment  of  the  ministers'  salaries.  Indeed,  it  was 
a  standing  rule  with  the  early  Presbyteries  to  call  them 
to  an  annual  account  of  this,  and  their  minutes  contain 
records  of  the  returns  from  each.* 

Salaries  were  small,  and  irregularly  and  tardily,  or 
but  partially  paid,  and  it  evinces  the  devotedness  of  the 
pastors  that  they  could  subject  themselves  and  their 
families  to  the  straits  necessitated  thus.  In  1825,  the 
Ogdensburgh  book  has  this  affecting  entry  :  "  Had  an 
inquiry  into  ministerial  faithfulness  and  salary  accounts. 
Ministers  belonging  to  this  Presbytery  have  regularly 
administered  the  ordinances,  unless  prevented   by  ill- 

*  Is  it  not  a  pardonable  gratification  with  the  writer  to  state 
that  for  the  twenty  years,  from  1805  to  lS-J,r),  the  whole  period  for 
which  the  Oneida  Presbytery  has  a  record  of  the  payment  of  sala- 
ries, the  First  Church,  Utica,  waa  never  once  reported  detirient  1 
single  farthing. 


116  PRESB  TTER1ANISM  IN  THE 

health;  have  uniformly  preached  two  discourses  on 
each  Sabbath,  and  generally  preached  one  lecture  a  week, 
besides  making  pastoral  visits  and  attending  prayer 
meetings  and  conference  meetings  almost  every  week. 
Nearly  every  minister  states  that  his  salary  is  not  paid 
according  to  agreement,  and  most  congregations  are 
very  much  in  arrears  on  the  small  salaries  which  they 
have  stipulated  to  pay.  Several  ministers  who  are 
pledged  from  $300  to  $400,  have  not  received  half  of 
this  sum  for  three  years  past,  and  as  a  consequence,  the 
ministers  of  the  Presbytery  are  very  much  embarassed 
and  perplexed  for  the  want  of  a  comfortable  support"* 

CHRISTIAN   BENEVOLENCE   INCULCATED. 

Both  Presbyterial  and  Synodical  records  abound  with 
deliverances  on  Christian  benevolence.  Standing  com- 
mittees were  appointed  to  devise  means  for  promoting 
it  and  to  see  to  it  that  it  was  practiced  ;  elaborate  papers 
were  prepared,  as  by  the  Presbytery  of  Watertown  in 
1852,  enforcing  the  duty  and  describing  the  best 
methods  of  performing  it.  At  one  of  its  earliest  meet- 
ings, 1825,  the  Presbytery  of  Ogdensburg  selected  cer- 
tain business  men  to  report  on  the  subject.  Several 
Presbyteries  voted  themselves  auxiliaries  to  different 
societies,  as  the  Presbytery  of  Tioga  in  1829  to  the 
Home  Missionary  Society,  the  Otsego  Presbytery  in 
L827  to  the  Domestic  Missionary  Society,  and  the  Che- 
nango   Presbytery   in    1829  to  the  Home  Missionary 

*No  strange  thing  happened  to  these  good  brethren.  The 
venerable  John  Cotton  used  to  complain  that  nothing  was  cheap 
in  Nnv  England  but  milk  and  ministers.—  Oridley. 


SYNOD  OF  VENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  117 

Society,  the  Western  Education  Society  and  the  Ameri- 
can Board,  and  the  Watertown  Presbytery  in  1829  was 
organized  into  a  General  Benevolent  Association,  to 
supply  the  spiritual  wants  of  its  section  of  the  country 
and  to  aid  in  sending  the  gospel  to  every  creature." 
holding  annual  meetings  to  listen  to  reports  and  ad- 
dresses on  Home  and  Foreign  Missions,  education  for 
the  ministry  and  the  circulation  of  religious  tracts ;  and 
at  the  same  time  a  constitution  was  framed  under  which 
any  church  might  also  become  a  benevolent  association, 
it  being  provided  that  every  member  of  the  church 
should  be  called  upon  for  annual  subscriptions  to  at 
least  four  causes.  This  was  probably  the  origin  of 
what  is  known  as  the  "St.  Lawrence  County  Anniver- 
saries." They  are  annual  gatherings  corresponding  to 
those  formerly  held  in  the  city  of  New  York,  but  in  the 
interest  more  especially  of  the  different  benevolent 
societies  of  the  county,  and  are  kept  up  with  great 
spirit  and  profit.  The  St.  Lawrence  County  Bible 
Society  shares  the  honor  with  one  other  County  Bible 
Society,  of  being  the  first  in  the  land  to  supply  every 
family  in  its  bounds  with  a  copy  of  the  Scriptures. 

CHRISTIAN    BENEFICENCE  AND   BENEVOLENT  SOCIETIES. 

The  labor  expended  on  the  churches  in  this  matter 
was  wq\]  repaid  They  learned  the  benevolence  they 
were  taught,  and  practiced  it.  Giving  became  their 
habil  and  began  with  their  beginning.  The  firsi  Prea 
byterial  reports  recount  their  contributions,  and  they 
aninterruptedly  continued  these  through  the  various 
channels  that  were  opened  for  them,  Buch  as  the  ( taneral 


118  PRESB  YTER1A  N1SM  IN  THE 

Assembly  Boards  and  the  National  Voluntary  Socie- 
ties, and  they  also  cut  courses  of  their  own  leading  to 
them,  large  and  small,  and  running  in  every  direction, 
and  formed  independent  organizations  of  their  own. 
Quite  numerous  associations  had  sprung  up  in  the 
country  for  Home  Missions,  and  to  avoid  distraction  in 
the  work,  and  the  more  efficiently  and  economically  to 
carry  it  on,  at  a  convention  held  in  1822  they  combined 
in  the  "United  Domestic  Missionary  Society,"  which 
made  Central  and  Western  New  York  the  special  field 
•of  its  operations,  and  in  1826  the  "American  Home 
Missionary  Society"  superseded  it,  assuming  larger 
dimensions  and  contemplating  the  cooperation  of  kin- 
dred denominations,  Congregational,  Presbyterian,  As- 
sociated Presb}4erian  and  Dutch  Reformed,  throughout 
the  United  States.  It  started  on  a  large  scale,  and  in 
the  spirit  of  lofty  enterprise,  and  however  implicated 
in  the  ecclesiastical  controversies  that  subsequently 
sprung  up,  it  wrought  nobly  for  the  evangelization  of 
the  land.  The  Presbyterian  Church  is  under  special 
obligations  for  plantings  of  it  in  this  region,  and  for 
propagating  it  at  the  West  It  wonderfully  stimulated 
the  Home  Missionary  enterprise.  In  its  first  ten  years 
it  furnished  3,273  years  of  missionary  service.  In 
thirty-five  years  it  raised  and  disbursed  84,000,000, 
and  helped  to  sustain  gospel  ordinances  in  6,000  com- 
munities. It  spent  over  £2,000,000  for  our  congrega- 
tions, and  more  every  year  from  1826  to  1861  than  it 
received  from  us,  and  aided  1,285  out  of  1,542  of  the 
churches  of  our  General  Assembly,  or  five-sixths  of 
the  whole  number.  Comparatively  few  missionaries 
labored  in  this   territory  when  the  society  was  organ 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  ,  119 

ized,  and  only  about  $640  a  year  were  raised  from  it 
for  Home  Missions,  and  in  thirty  years  it  aided  442 
missionaries  here  and  344  churches,  170  of  which  (89 
of  them  Presbyterian  and  17  Congregational)  were  self- 
sustaining  at  the  close  of  the  period.  The  appropria- 
tions here  during  that  time  were  $144,293,  and  the 
contributions  from  here  $298,311.04 ;  the  contributions 
exceeding  the  appropriations  by  $154,018.04.* 

Local  societies,  acting  on  their  own  responsibility  and 
as  auxiliaries,  took  an  active  and  important  part  in 
benevolent  work.  The  "  Western  Domestic  Missionary 
Society,"  afterwards  called  the  "Central  Agency," 
formed  at  Utica  in  1826,  and  with  its  headquarters 
there,  though  nominally  in  connection  with  the  Ameri- 
can Home  Missionary  Society,  raised  and  expended 
funds  and  commissioned  missionaries,  sixty  five  of 
whom  were  engaged  in  1829 — five  of  them  in  Otsego 
Presbytery,  six  in  Chenango,  five  in  Cortland,  eight  in 
Onondaga,  nine  in  Oswego,  eleven  in  Oneida,  ten  in  St. 
Lawrence,  nine  in  Ogdensburg,  and  about  $7,000  were 
appropriated  to  them.  Women  were  early  enlisted  in 
the  cause.  The  Albany  Synod  Narrative  of  Religion 
for  1818  states:  "Female  Cent  Societies  and  prayer 
meetings  have  been  formed  in  most  of  our  congrega- 
tions, and  the  assistance  they  render  is  very  consider* 
able,  [ndeed,  the  church  owes  much  at  the  present 
day  to  the  exertions  of  pious  females."  These  "Cent 
Societies"  were  \rrv  genera]  far  some  time,  and  poured 


*Our  ohurches  contributed  $7,850.67  1 1  it-  past  year  to  the 
ABsembly'H  Board  of  Home  Missions, receiving  $2,705.54  for  their 
own  field,  leaving  a  surplus  of  $4,664.  L8  for  expenditure  in  other 

Sections  of  the  land. 


120  PRESB  YTER1AN1SM  IN  THE 

quite  a  current  into  the  main  reservoirs.  From  1810 
to  1814,  sparse  and  poor  as  the  population  was,  $800 
of  the  §2,500  that  flowed  into  the  Genesee  Missionary 
Society,  ran  from  them. 

The  "  Female  Missionary  Society  of  the  Western 
District,"  formed  at  Utica  in  1817,  and  with  its  center 
there,  carried  on  operations  for  itself  until  1827,  when 
it  became  auxiliary  to  the  Western  Domestic  Mission- 
ary Society.  For  1822  it  reported  fifty  branches,  eleven 
missionaries,  and  nearly  $2,000  of  collections.  Mr. 
Finney  began  his  ministry  with  a  commission  from  it, 
and  while  in  its  service  ushered  in  the  series  of  revi- 
vals connected  with  him.  Youth,  too,  were  summoned 
to  labor  and  give,  and  responded  to  the  call.  "  The 
Young  People's  Missionary  Society''  commenced  opera- 
tions at  Utica  in  1814  or  1815.  The  Rev.  Miles  R 
Squires,  D.  D.,  then  a  licentiate  and  since  so  well  known 
as  a  pastor,  a  theologian,  an  educator  and  writer,  and 
the  founder  and  first  minister  of  the  First  Presbyterian 
Church  in  Buffalo,  was  its  first  missionary,  and  it  was 
on  his  first  tour  for  it  that  he  visited  Buffalo  and  pro- 
jected his  labors  there.  Rev.  Elisha  P.  Swift,  D.  D.r 
still  more  widely  known,  perhaps,  as  a  professor  in  the 
Theological  Seminary  at  Allegheny  and  the  first  Secre- 
tary  of  our  Foreign  Missionary  Board,  also  a  licentiate 
at  the  time,  was  one  of  its  missionaries  in  a  southerly 
course.  The  Western  Education  Society  of  the  State 
of  New  York  was  formed  at  Utica  in  1818,  and  in  its 
first  year  nearly  £30,000  were  contributed  to  it 
Christian  denominations  of  every  evangelical  class  were 
originally  represented  in  it,  but  the  subscriptions  of 
Others  being  soon  after  refunded  to  them,  Presbyterians 


8TWOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  121 

and  Congregationalists  alone  appeared  in  it.  Its 
method  of  proceeding  was  quite  peculiar.  vi  Their  lead- 
ing object."  in  its  sixth  year,  the  directors  say,  "has. 
been  to  purchase  a  few  acres  of  land  and  to  erect  a 
suitable  house  for  boarding  the  beneficiaries.  They 
have  so  far  succeeded  in  accomplishing  this  object  that 
fifteen  acres  of  land  have  been  purchased  and  a  house 
has  been  erected  of  sufficient  dimensions  to  accommo- 
date fifty  young  men  with  board,  with  all  the  conven- 
iences needful  for  a  family  in  providing  for  that  num- 
ber. This  house,  with  four  acres  of  land  adjoining,  is 
situated  about  seventy  rods  north  of  Hamilton  College, 
and  the  remaining  eleven  acres  are  a  quarter  of  a  mile 
north  of  the  boarding  house."  Only  students  in  Col- 
lege were  assisted,  and  only  their  board  in  term  time 
was  furnished.  In  1824  twenty-four  young  men  re- 
ceived this  help.  Women  labored  for  the  society,  the 
auxiliaries  they  composed  contributing  $1,000  to  it  in 
a  single  year.  Modifications  in  its  constitution  con- 
formed it  afterwards  to  the  Education  Societies  with 
which  we  have  been  familiar,  and  it  was  long  promi- 
nent in  its  department  of  benevolent  work.* 

In  1810  the  Middle  A  —  Nation  and  the  Pn 
of  Geneva  formed  themselves  into  the  "Western  Re- 
ligious Tract  Society."  and  a  Trad  Society  established 
at   [Jtica  in  L816  circulated  7. «><><>  tracts  during  that 

*  The  following  honorable  and  gratifying  entry  is  made  in  the 
third  volume  of  the  Reeordi  <>f  the  Onondaga  Presbytery,  Sep- 
tember 6,  1825:  "  fter.  .Marcus  Smith,  of  tin-  Presbytery  of 
Albany,  requested  liberty  to  present  his  very  grateful  ^•-, 
obligation  f<»r  th»-  kid  be  received  from  this  body  in  tin-  eotu 
his  classical  and  theological  Studies,  to  the  amount  ot  about 
$500." 

II 


122  PRESBYTERIANISM  IN  THE 

year,  and  subsequently  largely  extended  its  operations7 
having  auxiliaries  all  over  this  part  of  the  State,  cir- 
culating a  large  number  of  tracts  and  books,  widely 
establishing  the  monthly  distribution,  and  remitting 
surplus  funds  to  more  needy  sections  of  our  country 
and  to  foreign  lands. 

The  Oneida  County  Bible  Society  was  organized  at 
Utica  in  1810,  embracing  within  its  bounds  the  coun- 
ties of  Oneida,  (then  including  Oswego  county,)  Lewis, 
Jefferson,  St  Lawrence,  Onondaga,  Cortland,  Madison, 
Chenango,  Herkimer,  Seneca  and  Ontario  counties,  and 
on  the  organization  of  the  American  Bible  Society  in 
1817  it  became  auxiliary  to  it,  A  thousand  copies  of 
the  Scriptures  were  distributed  by  it  the  first  year  in 
Montgomery,  St.  Lawrence,  Lewis,  Jefferson,  Madison, 
Cortland,  Herkimer,  Cayuga,  Onondaga,  Chenango  and 
Oneida  counties,  which  it  was  estimated  would  carry 
them  to  three  thousand  persons. 

PASTORS  AND   FOREIGN    MISSIONARIES    FURNISHED   BY 
THE   CHURCHES. 

The  benevolent  contributions  of  the  Presbyterian 
Churches  on  this  field  have  run  up  from  $9.43  m  1803, 
to  $55,917.30  in  1876,  and  it  is  a  reasonable  calculation 
that  they  have  amounted  to  a  million  of  dollars  for  the 
whole   space    between    those   years.*     And   sons  and 

*  In  1872  the  five  leading  denominations  in  the  United  States 
raised  for  their  church  expenses  and  for  benevolent  causes  the 
following  sums:  The  Baptists,  $8,891,276;  theC'ongregationalists, 
about  $4,000,000;  the  Episcopalians,  $6,304,008;  the  Methodists, 
$17,427,184;  the  Presbyterians,  $11,070,325.  Add  to  these  the 
contributions  of  other  Protestant  denominations,  and  the  sum 
would  be  $50,000,000. 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  123 

daughters,  more  precious  than  silver  and  gold,  have 
been  offered  liberally  by  them.  It  is  impossible  to 
estimate  how  many  ministers  in  the  home  service  and 
how  many  wives  of  such  ministers  have  been  their 
gifts.  Thirty-one  members  of  the  First  Church,  Utica, 
and  thirteen  of  the  church  of  Rome,  and  seventeen  of 
the  church  of  Ogdensburg,  have  been  pastors  in  our 
land,  and  this  may  not  exceed  the  proportion  from 
many  others.*  Nine  male  and  seven  female  members 
of  the  First  Church,  Utica,  have  been  devoted  to  labors 
in  foreign  lands,  and  among  them  H.  Gr.  0.  Dwight, 
D.  D.,  of  Constantinople ;  Asahel  Grant,  M.  D.,  of  Persia; 
Henry  R  Hoisington,  of  India ;  W.  Frederic  Williams, 
D.  D.,  of  Mozul,  and  S.  Wells  Williams,  LL.  D.,  of  China. 
Albert  Bushnell  was  dedicated  to  Africa  by  the  church 
at  Rome;  Edwards  Ford  to  Armenia  by  Ogdensburg 
church  ;  Edwin  Hall  Crane  to  Persia  by  Westmoreland 
church  ;  Homer  Bartlett  Morgan  to  Turkey  by  the 
church  at  Watertown ;  Robert  W.  IT  time  to  India, 
Henry  West,  M.  D.,  to  Syria,  Dr.  Judd,  Sheldon  Dibble 
and  Dwight  Baldwin  to  the  Sandwich  Islands,  and  Ed- 
ward Cope  and  Isaac  Bliss  and  Loren  C.  Havenf  and 

*  And  men  like  Albert  Barnes,  Thomas  Brainard,  and  John 
Barnard,  of  Lima,  from  the  church  at  Rome,  and  Prof,  John  Mor- 
gan, of  Oberlio  Seminary,  and  Prof.  Edward  D.  Morris,  of  Lane 
Seminary,  and    Henry   Steele  Clark,   of    Philadelphia,   from    the 

First  Church,  Utica,  and  Prest.  I.  N.  Randall,  of  Lincoln  Uni- 
versity, from  the  Westminster  church,  Utica,  and  Charli 

Finney    from    the   church    in    Adams,    and    lleinan    Norton,   count 

almost  incalculably  In  such  an  enumeration. 

i  Mr.  Haven  was  under  appointment  for  China  by  the  a.  B.  C. 
F.  M.,  when,  in  a  moment  of  mental  aberration,  he  put  an  end  to 
his  life.  Those  who  best  anew  aim  testified  must  highly  to  his 
abilit  \  and  excellence. 


124  PRESB  YTERIANISM  IN  THE 

Edward  Gr.  Bickford  and  Charles  Little  and  Jesse 
Miner  to  other  countries,  by  different  churches  under 
the  care  of  the  Synod. 

In  1815  the  Presbytery  of  Oneida  recommended  the 
Monthly  Concert  of  Prayer  to  its  churches,  and  at  its 
next  session  relates  that  it  had  been  observed  by  all  of 
the  number  to  whom  it  was  made  known ;  and  in  its 
report  of  religion  in  1818  it  says :  "  The  Monthly  Con- 
cert in  Prayer  is  universally  observed."  This  was  kept 
up  in  all  the  Presbyteries,  and  is  very  frequently  men- 
tioned as  long  as  the  concert  was  generally  maintained. 


SUPPLIES   BY   THE    PRESBYTERIES    FOR   THEIR    VACANT 
CHURCHES   AND   DESTITUTE    FIELDS. 

The  ministers  and  people  did  not  overlook  the  desti- 
tution near  them  and  the  feeble  churches  connected 
with  them.  The  Presbytery  of  Oneida  has  a  record  of 
supplies  for  vacancies  in  its  bounds,  every  year, 
without  a  single  exception,  for  the  twenty-three  years 
from  1802  to  1825.  The  Presbytery  of  Onondaga  in 
1826  divided  its  territory  into  districts,  committing 
each  to  the  care  of  certain  ministers  and  elders,  and  in 
1844  it  reenacted  the  arrangement,  and  directed  the 
commit  tecs  to  visit  their  respective  districts,  each  min- 
ister spending  at  least  one  Sabbath  in  his  district,  and 
to  reporl  in  full  at  every  meeting  of  the  Presbytery : 
and  in  1827,  $1,000  were  raised  for  the  needy  churches 
and  unoccupied  districts  in  St  Lawrence  county. 

In  L831  the  Oneida  Presbytery 

li'.soived,  1.  That  the  whole  Church  of  God,  consisting  of  but 
one  family,  and   bound   together  by  the  strongest  possible  tie  of 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW    YORK.  125 

union,  should  feel  a  deep  and  fraternal  interest  in  all  its  branches, 
and  be  willing  to  make  very  great  sacrifices,  especially  for  the 
more  feeble.  2.  That  as  a  dictate  of  Christian  sympathy,  those 
churches  enjoying  a  stated  ministry  should  cheerfully  consent 
that  their  pastors  be  occasionally  absent  to  minister  to  the  neces- 
sities of  the  destitute.  3.  That  each  minister  of  this  Presbytery 
should  feel  bound  to  extend  his  pastoral  supervision  as  far  as 
possible  to  the  neighboring  needy  churches,  and  being  set  apart 
as  the  servant  of  the  whole  church,  should  feel  it  a  duty  of  solemn 
obligation  to  take  under  his  special  pastoral  care,  where  the  cir- 
cumstances permit  it,  some  one  or  more  of  such  churches,  visit- 
ing them  as  frequently  as  practicable  on  the  Sabbath  and  at  other 
times,  and  superintending  the  general  interests  of  religion  among 
them,  until  they  are  provided  with  a  settled  ministry. 

The  subject  indeed,  greatly  and  constantly  exercix-d 
the  brethren,  and  nothing  more  put  them  to  their  wit's 
end.  Presbyterial  and  Synodical  missionaries  were  ap- 
pointed, notices  of  which  appear  in  .the  records  of  the 
Synod  of  Utica  and  of  the  Presbyteries  of  Otsego,  Del- 
aware, Chenango,  Tioga,  Cortland,  Onondaga.  Oneida, 
St.  Lawrence,  Watertown  and  Ogdensburgh.  No  ade- 
quate provision  has  yet  been  made  for  the  case,  and  the 
urgency  of  it  is  greater  than  ever.  In  the  opening 
mon  of  the  first  General  Assembly  of  our  reunited 
church,  the  desirableness  of  ;t  system  of  superintendence 
suggested,  that  would  avoid  the  objectionableness 
of  Episcopacy  and  Methodism,  and  secure  their  effi- 
ciency in  this  direction.  There  is  Deed,  not  of  a  tran- 
sient itinerancy,  which  at  wide  and  irregular  intervals, 
shall  secure  nasty  calls' or  brief  services  from  a  minis- 
ter,— enough,  perhaps,  to  start  up  an  expiring  church 
and  make  it  live  for  awhile,  or  plant  a  church  in  virgin 
soil  and  leave  it  to  perish  while  battling  for  existence — 
l  nit  an  habitual  attention  to  them  that  is  never  suspended 


126  PRESBYTER1AN1SM  IN  THE 

as  long  as  it  is  required.     Committees,  however  zealous 
and  faithful,  cannot  be  spared  enough  from  the  parishes 
of  their  members  to  be  capable  of  this,  and  responsi- 
bility for  it  is  dispersed  by  distribution.     Every  minis- 
ter and  elder  is  distressed  by  thoughts  of  the  vacant 
churches  and  numerous  wastes  about*  him  ;   but  what 
can  be  done  ?     Nothing  but  the  appointment  of  a  bishop 
for  them,  such  as  was  common  with  Scotch  Presbyterian- 
ism  in  its  early  days,  with  numerous  young  and  feeble 
churches ;  a  bishop  consecrated  to  the  task  of  looking 
after  them  and  procuring  supplies  for  them ;  a  bishop  of  a 
diocese  smaller  or  greater,  according  to  the  number  of  vac- 
ancies and  wastes  in  it ;  and  a  bishop  in  character  and 
standing,  so  as  to  be  looked  up  to  by  his  charge  and 
be  accepted  as  the  peer  of  the  foremost  of  his  fellow 
Presbvters,  and  with  salary  enough  to  give  him  dignity 
in  his  own  esteem  and  that  of  the  public,  and  to  yield 
him  an  ample  support,     A  recent  circular  of  our  Home 
Missionary  Secretaries  indicates  an  approval  of  substan- 
tially such  a  policy.     But  no  measures  will  accomplish 
the  object  without  the  spirit  embodied  in  the  Oneida 
Presbytery  resolutions  and  a  recognition  of  the  princi- 
ples enunciated  there  and  the  habitual  acting  upon  them; 
and  it  is  to  be  feared  that  we  have  degenerated  from 
our  fathers  here.     We  look  upon  ourselves  too  much 
as  ex  ( 'lusively  cha  rge<  I  w  i  t  h  our  several  parishes.  The  iso- 
lation of  Congregationalism  largely  supplants  the  combi- 
nation of  Presbyterianism.     We  regard  ourselves  as  the 
ministers  of  Local  churches,  and  scarcely  at  all  as  min- 
isters of  the  Presbyterian  church.     We  serve  our  re- 
spective congregations  and  feel  little  responsibility  for 
Others.     And  so  with  our  people.     They  call  us  to  the 


SYNOD  OF  VENTRAL  NEW  TORE.  127 

cure  of  their  souls,  and  begrudge  our  attention  to  others. 
The  oneness  of  the  church, — its  unity  notwithstanding 
the  diversity  of  its  congregations, — the  Watertown,  or 
Syracuse,  or  Binghamton  church  as  a  part  of  the  Pres- 
byterian church  in  the  IT.  S.  A.,  and  not  an  independ- 
ent organization,  is  a  characteristic  and  fundamental 
article  of  our  ecclesiastical  constitution,  and  violating  or 
neglecting  it,  we  are  untrue  to  the  Presbyterian  minis- 
try and  membership. 

RELINQUISHMENT   OF   VOLUNTARY  SOCIETIES   AND 
ADOPTION  OF   CHURCH  BOARDS. 

The  National  Benevolent  Societies  had  been  so  uni- 
versally the  almoners  of  our  churches,  that  there  was 
little  or  no  diversity  of  sentiment  among  them  during 
the  violent  controversy  about  ecclesiastical  boards  and 
voluntary  associations.  But  strong  as  were  their  attach- 
ments to  the  latter,  it  is  pleasant  to  notice  how  grace/'/'//// 
they  resigned  them  when  the  new  circumstances  of  later 
tiw.es  manifestly  required  it,  and  how  cordially  they  tht  n 
adopted  the  former.  In  1863,  the  Susquehannali  Synod 
describes  its  churches  as  "  in  a  transition  state  from  vol- 
untary societies  to  the  Boards  of  the  General  Assem- 
bly."   In  1861,  the  Presbytery  <>!'  Cortland 

Resolved,  That  convinced  of  the  necessity  of  such  action,  we  do 
now  withdraw  our  connection  with  tin-  Home  Missionary  Society, 
and  that  we  put  ourselves  in  connection  with  the  Committee  on 
Home  Missions,  appointed  by  our  General  Assembly. 

Tn  1800,  the  Presbytery  of  Watertown 

Resolved,  That  we  gratefully  acknowledge  the  eminent  value  of 
the  work  accomplished  by  the  American  Home  Missionary  Society, 
and  the  wisdom  with  which  its  attain  bare  been  generally  admin- 


128  PRESB  YTER1A*  ISM  IN  THE 

istered;  that  while  such  a  anion  of  Christians  of  different  names 
in  the  work  of  home  evangelization,  as  is  provided  for  by  the 
American  Home  Missionary  Society,  was  indispensable  at  the  time 
it  was  formed,  and  while  this  cooperation  with  our  brethren  has 
been  most  agreeable  to  our  .feelings,  as  well  as  prolific  in  good, 
our  increase  in  numbers  and  wealth  and  in  the  spirit  of  benefi- 
cence enables  each  of  our  denominations  now  to  prosecute 
domestic  missions  by  itself,  and  by  this  separate  assumption  of 
responsibility  more  is  likely  to  be  effected,  and  the  unity  of  the 
spirit  in  the  bonds  of  peace  would  be  better  kept. 


"PERFECTING      PRESBYTERIAN   ORGANIZATIONS. 

Ministers  of  Plan  of  Union  churches  came  into  full  fel- 
lowship with  Presbyterianism  in  the  same  accommodating 
spirit,  and  many  of  their  charges  followed  them.  The 
Presbytery  of  Chenango,  for  example,  was  substantially 
the  Union  Association  with  a  new  name  and  our  rules 
for  judicatories.  There  was  scarcely  a  Presbyterian 
church  under  its  care,  and  almost  every  pastor  had  been 
a  Congregationalist.  This  entry  appears  in  its  minutes 
for  1852  :  "  There  is  a  growing  attachment  to  the  doc- 
trines and  polity  of  the  Presbyterian  Church. "  "A  desire 
is  manifest  by  the  pastors  and  churches  to  sustain  such 
public  institutions  as  cherish  and  inculcate  the  doctrines 
of  our  church."  And  in  1857 :  "We  record  with  grat- 
itude our  conviction  that  there  is  an  increasing  sympa- 
thy and  cooperation  with  our  beloved  Zion  in  her 
attempt  to  meet  her  weighty  responsibilities;  and  our 
fervent  desire  is  that  God  will  endue  her  plentifully 
with  1 1  i  *  *  wisdom  that  is  from  above."  And  in  1862: 
"  The  Presbytery  is  in  a  peculiar  position  from  the 
working  of  the  old  congregational  leaven  in  our 
churches.     Two  of  them  within  a  year,  and  they  among 


SYSOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  129 

the  strongest,  have  entirely  separated  from  us,  and 
several  of  the  rest  seem  to  hang  very  lightly  to  Presby- 
tery. It  is  probable  that  in  a  year  or  two  the  state  of 
things  will  be  changed,  and  those  churches  which  so 
strangely  sympathise  with  Congregationalism,  will  either 
go  out  from  us,  or  take  ground  more  in  accordance  with 
our  order  and  polity."  And  in  1865  :  "  It  should  not  be 
overlooked  in  this  review  that  while  strenuous  efforts 
have  been  made  during  the  year  to  draw  off  from  us 
the  churches  connected  with  us  on  the  Plan  of  Union, 
and  while  one  of  the  number  has  temporarily  with- 
drawn, still,  we  believe  that  there  is  at  least  among  some 
of  the  churches,  a  disposition  to  hold  on  more  firmly  to 
our  body."  The  Presbytery  of  Binghamton,  now 
including  the  territory  of  the  Presbytery  of  Chenango 
within  its  bounds,  replied  to  an  application  of  the 
church  of  Bainbridge  to  be  received  by  it,  that  it  was 
ready  to  do  so  when  that  church  "  perfected  its  organi- 
zation," and  soon  after  Bainbridge  came  in  fully  Pres- 
byterian. 

PROVISION   FOR   THEMSELVES    BY   THE   CHURCHES. 

The  churches  of  Central  New  York  provided  for 
themselves,  while  they  cared  for  others.  The  act 
and  a<-;td<,'ini<\>  founded  by  them,  or  placed  under  their 
auspices,  and  Hamilton  College, have  received  in  round 
numbers,  $800,000.  And  it  may  he  stated  in  this  con- 
nection that  the  State  Bupporta  on  the  field  of  the  Synod 
8,842  district  school.-,  attended  the  present  vear  by 
1.78,672  scholars ;  instructed  bj  B,169  teachers*  (2,1>9 
male  and  5,980  female)  at  a  oosl  of  $521,940.56  the 


1 30  PRESB  TTERIA NISM  IN  THE 

present  year,  with  school  houses  and  lots  worth 
$4,273, 581,  and  libraries  containing  321,313  volumes, 
worth  $321,313— while  there  are  academies  reporting 
last  year  8,273  scholars,  to  which  were  appropriated 
during  that  year  $54,765  and  holding  property  valued 
at  $1,783,135,  and  also  164  private  schools,  with  8,685 
pupils,  and  three  colleges  numbering  last  year  417  stu- 
dents, and  costing  that  year  $84,426.24,  and  holding- 
property  in  lands,  buildings  and  funds  to  the  amount 
of  $1,355,863,  and  2,105  graduates.  Hamilton  College 
reported  last  year  (1875,)  153  students,  $31,359.24  ex- 
penses, $288,968  endowment,  and  1,374  graduates. 

At  the  organization  of  the  Oneida  Presbytery,  houses 
of  worship  had  probably  been  erected  at  Cherry  Val- 
ley, Little  Falls,  Whitesboro  and  Clinton,  and  possibly 
at  Cooperstown  and  Springfield,  but  they  must  have  been 
primitive  structures  like  the  homes  of  the  congregations, 
aggregating  a  cost  of  perhaps  of  $2,000  or  $3,000,  and 
sittings  for  a  thousand.  Ten  years  ago,  according  to 
the  last  published  State  census,  there  were  131  houses 
of  worship  belonging  to  the  churches  of  this  Synod 
assessed  at  $500,000,  and  attached  to  them  was  prop- 
erty assessed  at  $100,000,  with  50,000  sittings  and  an 
attendance  of  22,000  people  who  paid  $75,000  annually 
for  salaries.  To  this  is  to  be  added  18  Reformed 
(Dutch)  churches,  valued  at  $39,140,  with  property 
attached  valued  at  $12,300,  with  sittings  for  11,000  peo- 
ple  and  an  attendance  of  2,265,  and  paying  salaries  of 
s8,103,  and  also  19  Lutheran  churches  valued  at 
$58,680,  with  sittings  for  5,162,  and  an  attendance  of 
8,162,  ami  paying  $5,470  for  salaries.  On  the  same 
field    are    115    Congregational    churches,    valued    at 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  TO  UK.  131 

$-110,000,  with  $53,150  property  attached,  having 47,218 
sittings,  and  an  attendance  of  16,010,  and  paying 
$69,417  in  salaries.  The  Methodists  have  460  church 
edifices  on  this  field,  valued  at  $934,875,  with  $164,940 
property  attached,  and  147,915  sittings.  The  Baptists 
have  on  this  field  319  church  edifices,  valued  at  $721,1 70 
with  $71,025  property  attached  and  sittings  for  871,737. 
The  Episcopalians  have  83  church  edifices,  valued  at 
$624,250,  and  $107,600  property  attached,  and  sittings 
for  27,720,  and  pay  $56,355  for  salaries. 


PASTORATES. 

It  is  to  be  wished  that  a  better  report  could  be  made 
of  Pastorates.  Synods  and  Presbyteries  appreciated 
them  and  did  their  utmost  to  favor  them,  but  often 
lamented  the  neglect  and  frailty  of  them.  In  1839,  the 
Cortland  Presbytery  said  that  only  three  of  its  fifteen 
churches  had  pastors.  The  Synod  of  Susquehannahr 
and  in  1842,  the  Presbytery  of  Tioga  spoke  sorrowfully 
of  the  brevity  of  the  relation.  The  Presbytery  of 
Otsego,  in  18'2(>  installed  a  minister  at  Springfield  for 
two  years,  and  a1  its  next  session  expressed  its  regret 
for  the  act.     In  1839,  the  Presbytery  of  Cortland 

Resolved,  That  our  Churches  destitute  of  pastors  owe  it  to  them- 
selves aud  to  the  cause  of  Christ  to  procure  settled  pastors  as  soon 
ai  practicable,  aud  that  it  is  the  duty  of  ministers,  BO  far  as  it  is 
optional  with  them,  to  settle  as  pastors  and  to  discountenance  the 
practice  of  preaching  as  stated  supplies  in  such  circumstano 
will  be  prejudicial  to  the  effort  of  sustaining  In  the  communities 
the  pastoral  relation,  and  a  committee  was  appointed  to  address 
the  churches  on  tin;  benefits  of  l  In-  pastorship,  and  the  evils  result 
ing  from  its  neglect,  and  by  \  i .-its  to  the  ohurches  and   1>\   OORSI 


132  PRESBYTERIAN  ISM  IN  THE 

pondence  with  them  to  set  the  subject  before  them,  and  induce 
and  help  them  to  secure  a  stable  ministry. 

In  1825,  the  Onondaga  Presbytery 

Resolved,  That  if  any  congregation  within  our  bounds  wishes  to 
employ  a  minister  for  any  term  longer  than  a  year,  the  interests 
of  religion  would  be  promoted  by  his  installation;  and  that  we 
will  not  agree  to  dissolve  any  pastoral  relation  until  every  proper 
means  have  been  tried  to  continue  it,  and  that  we  will  follow  the 
rules  of  the  directory  in  reference  to  it. 

The  Presbytery  of  Oneida  published  an  admirable 
paper  on  the  subject  in  1833,  which  it  would  be  difficult 
to  improve  and  that  would  serve  well  for  its  purpose 
now.  Tioga  Presbytery  rejoiced  in  1842  over  the 
increased  length  of  the  relation  in  its  churches  and 
notices  the  continuance  of  it  for  thirty  years,  then  at 
Lisle.  All  the  churches  in  Binghamton  Presbytery 
were  supplied  with  pastors  or  stated  supplies  in  1872* 

It  has  been  found  impossible  to  make  a  reliable  list  of 
pastorates  on  the  field  of  the  Synod.  The  names  of  the 
parties  to  570  of  them  have  been  obtained,  but  the 
actual  number  must  considerably  exceed  this.  Fourteen 
are  pending,  of  which  that  of  Kev.  L.  Merrill  Miller,, 
at  Ogdensburgh,  has  lasted  thus  far  (1876,)  twenty-five- 
years  ;  Rev.  N.  Crocker's  at  Coventry,  thirteen  years,  and 
Rev.  William  H.  Sawtelle's  at  Nineveh,  ten  years.  The 
longest  pastorate  was  that  of  forty  years  by  Rev.  Marcus 
Ford,  D.  D.,  at  Newark  Valley.  Rev.  Levi  Parsons 
was  at  Marcellus  thirtv-t  \v<  >  years  and  died  there  ;  Moses 
Gillette  was  at  Rome,  and  Israel  Brainard  at  Veronar 
thirty  years ;  Rev.  John  B.  Hoyt  at  Coventry,  twenty- 
nine  years  and  died  there;  Rev.  Orlo  Bartholomew  at 
Augusta,  twenty -eight  years  and  died  there ;  Rev.  Ezra 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  133 

Benedict  Fancher,  was  twenty -seven  years  at  Cortland  - 
ville  and  died  there ;  Rev.  Isaac  Bray  t<  >n,  at  Water- 
town  for  the  same  space:  Rev.  John  Tompkins  was 
twenty-five  years  at  Marcellus  and  died  there;  Rev. 
John  Watson  Adams,  D.  D.,  for  the  same  space  at 
Syracuse  and  also  died  there;  Rev.  Philemon  Halsted 
Fowler  was  in  First  Church,  Utica,  Rev.  Barnet  B. 
Beckwith  at  Governeur,  and  Rev.  John  Smith  at  Coop- 
erstown,  twenty-four  years  :  Rev.  William  Eaton  Knox 
at  Rome,  and  Rev.  Thomas  A.  Weed  at  Mexicoville, 
twenty-three  years.  Noah  Coe  was  at  New  Hartford 
twenty-one  years,  and  Rev.  John  Frost  at  Whitesboro, 
and  Rev.  James  Eels  at  Westmoreland  twenty  j 
and  Calvin  Bushnell  at  Mt.  Vernon,  eighteen  years. 
Three  were  pastors  seventeen  years:  Rev.  Samuel  C- 
Aiken,  D.  D.,  of  First  Church,  Utica,  Rev.  A.  F.  Corliss, 
at  Holland  Patent,  and  Rev.  Sherman  Canfield,  1>.  1'.. 
of  First  Church,  Syracuse:  six  for  sixteen  years: 
Rev.  Pheneas  Robinson  at  Jefferson,  Rev.  C.  Chapman 
at  Colchester.  Rev.  J.  I).  Cornwall  at  Hancock,  Re  G 
S.  Boardman  at  Watertown,  Rev.  K.  II.  Payson  at  New 
Hartford, and  Rev.  James  G-ardinerat  Hammond;  four 
for  fifteen  year- :  Rev  John  B.  Whittelsey  at  Spring- 
lield.  Rev.  U.  X.  Woodruff  at  Little  Falls  and  Herkimer, 
Rev.  John  A.  Savage  at  Ogdensburg  and  R  than 

B.    Bubbard,  at  Whitesboro;    bus  for  fourteen    \ 

II.  Dyeral  Preston,  Rev.  L  James  at  Guilford,  Revi 
A.  Parmaleeal  Middleford,  Rev.  Edwin  Lord  al  Fulton, 
and  Kev.  John  Waugfc  at  Sau<[u«)it  and  afterwards  at 
( lanton  ;  three  forthirteen  yean  :  !«'•  ,  Truman  Baldwin 
at  Pleasanl  Valley,  Rev  George  S  Boardman,  D.  D 
enovia,  and  Rev.  A.  Oliver  at  Springfield;  two  for 
i 


134  PRESBYTERIANISM  IN  THE 

twelve  years:  Kev.  H.  W.  Gilbert  at  Windsor,  and  Frank- 
lin A.  Spencer  at  Westmoreland ;  five  for  eleven  years ; 
S.  F.  Snowden  at  New  Hartford,  John  N.  Lewis  at  Lisle, 
Publius  Y.  Bogue  at  Sauquoit,  L.  C.  Keid  at  Fayette- 
ville,  and  Casper  R  Gregory  at  Oneida, ;  fourteen  for 
ten  years:  Seth  Willeston,  D.  D.,  at  Lisle,  Alpha  Miller 
at  Bridgewater,  Moses  C.  Searle  at  New  Hartford,  E. 
Vine  Wales  at  Laurens,  Giles  M.  Smith  at  Freetown, 
Ezra  Scovill  at  Mexicoville,  W.  W.  Newell,  D.  D.,  at 
Salina,  William  Salisbuiy  at  Jefferson,  Phineas  Robinson 
at  Hancock,  D.  Terry,  D.  D.,  at  Delhi,  H.  S.  Dickson  at 
Westminster,  Utica,  E.  Scoville  at  Mexico,  Joseph  N. 
McGiffert  at  Sauquoit,  and  Henry  Callahan  at  Oxford  ; 
thirteen  for  nine  years,  eight  for  eight,  thirty  for  seven, 
thirty  for  six,  thirty-eight  for  five,  forty-nine  for  four, 
seventy- three  for  three,  thirty-nine  for  two  years,  twenty  - 
seven  for  one  year,  and  one  for  less  than  a  year.  No 
dates  are  given  of  the  remainder.* 

In  eleven  instances  death  dissolved  the  relation,  and 
the  reason  assigned  for  it  in  sixty-seven  instances  was 
a  call  elsewhere ;  health  in  thirty  seven  instances,  in- 
sufficiency of  salaiy  in  sixty-eight,  and  ditsatisf action 
of  the  people  in  thirty-seven. 

At  least  two-thirds  of  the  pastorates  were  broken  up 
by  the  restlessness  of  the  people  and  the  consequent 

*In  1876,  1,074  of  our  5,077  churches  in  the  Uuited  States  are 
reported  as  vacant,  and  1,799  as  served  by  "  stated  supplies,"  and 
only  1,973,  of  our  4,744  ministers  are  installed  pastors.  During 
the  same  year  575  changes  were  made  by  the  3,171  priests  and 
deacons  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  in  the  United  States, 
"  at  which  rate  the  whole  number  would  change  every  six  years.'' 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  135 

failure  of  the  maintenance  of  the  ministers.  The  rela- 
tion long  since  ceased  to  be  regarded  as  permanent,  and 
it  is  entered  upon  by  both  parties  with  the  feeling  that 
it  shall  last  longer  or  shorter,  according  to  their  likes 
and  dislikes.  Nothing  can  establish  it,  or  make  it  more 
than  a  temporary  arrangment,  short  of  the  conviction 
that  it  is  a  species  of  marriage,  and  almost  as  indissoluble. 
Ministers  and  people  must  quench  their  love  of  change  ;* 
the  first  ceasing  to  look  out  for  better  situations,  and  the 
last  ceasing  to  look  out  for  more  agreeable  preaching,  or 
for  variety  in  it.  Counting  on  the  stability  of  their  rela- 
tion, they  will  accommodate  themselves  to  it  and  achieve 
usefulness  in  it,  and  derive  profit  from  it.  But  let  pastors 
beware.  If  secure  against  dismission  or  disturbance,  they 
may  be  tempted  to  nestling,  when  they  ought  to  be  work- 
ing. And  let  subscriptions  and  pew  rents  by  the  people, 
be  contributions  towards  the  ordinances  of  the  gospel,  and 
not  payments  for  the  gratification  of  taste,  uniformly 
kept  up  for  the  ministry,  and  not  variable  with  the  sen- 
timents towards  the  men  who  exercise  the  ministry,  f 

*"  From  1752  to  1791  no  pastor  in  Litchfield,  Ct.,  Consociation 
was  dismissed  to  answer  a  call  affirmatively — come  up  higher." 
Parmelee's  Centennial  Sermon. 

f  Rev.  Joseph  Bellamy, of  Bethlehem,  Ct.,was  invited  to  the  First 
Presbyterian  Church,  New  York.  Distrusting  its  sufficiency  of 
itself  to  decide  the  question  of  his  going  or  staying,  the  Litchfield 
Consociation  called  the  Eastern  Consociation  of  Fairfield  county,  to 
counsel  with  it.  They  remained  in  session  for  four  (lays,  and  then 
"  after  much  debate  and  conference,  endeavoring  to  view  the  case 
in  every  possible  light,  and  solemnly  calling  apon  the  Father  of 
Lights  and  Fountain  of  wisdom  ami  discretion,"  the)  canm  to  the 
'•determination  that  it  was  not  for  tin- honor  of  our  common  Lord 
and  the   best  interests  of  our  holy  religion  that  Mr.  Ballamy  be 

dismissed."    Parma 


136  PRESBTTERIANIbM  IN  TUE 

ORTHODOXY   OF   MINISTERS   AND   CHURCHES. 

While  Presbyterianism  in  Central  New  York  has 
been  intelligent  and  enterprsing,  spiritual  and  benevo- 
lent, it  has  also  been  orthodox  and  orderly.  Irregulari- 
ties occurred  and  errors  sprung  up  about  it  that  were 
not  chargeable  upon  it,  and  in  the  excitment  of  the 
hour,  individuals  and  communities  identified  with  it, 
from  time  to  time,  were  carried  away  into  abnormal 
movements  and  acts ;  but  as  a  whole,  its  constituency 
has  preserved  a  remarkable  propriety  of  deportment 
and  correctness  of  doctrine.  The  fact,  in  general,  is 
demonstrated  by  what  has  already  been  related — the  in- 
struction and  training  it  so  dilligently  gave  ;  the  care- 
fulness with  which  it  organized  its  churches  and  the 
cautiousness  with  which  it  received  them,  and  the  vig- 
ilance with  which  it  watched  them,  and  the  faithfulness 
with  which  it  "warned  and  reproved  and  directed  them; 
and  its  constant  effort  for  stability  in  the  pastoral  office. 
Still  more  clearly  does  it  appear  in  specific  action  on 
current  extravagancies  and  heresies.  Hasty  licensures, 
for  example,  were  repeatedly  and  emphatically  denounc- 
ed. The  Watertown  Presbytery  complained  to  the 
Black  River  Association  for  committing  the  offence 
and  the  Synod  of  Utica  forbade  a  recognition  of  the 
Black  River  licentiates  and  ministers  until  they  had, 
been  examined  and  approved  by  the  Presbyteries.  In 
1825  the  Presbytery  of  Onondaga  established  the  rule 
that  it  would  examine  all  candidates  for  installation, 
leaving  it  to  be  decided  in  each  case  whether  the  exam- 
ination should  be  particular  or  general ;  and  the  Pres- 
1»\  tery  of  Delaware  resolved  that  it  would  not  perform 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  137 

licensure  or  ordination  without  previous  notice.*  The 
intrusion  of  Evangelists  was  reprobated,  and  Luther 
My  rick  was  disciplined  for  it,  and  Jedadiah  Burehard 
brought  to  express  repentance  for  it. -f-  Though  Evan- 
gelists were  accepted  as  answering  for  extraordinary 
occasions,  reliance  was  counselled  on  the  settled  minis- 
try, and  the  Presbytery  of  Watertown  required  them 
to  receive  its  permission  to  labor  in  its  churches,  and 
its  minutes  record  their  applications  for  it.  and  the  same 
Presbytery  pronounced  its  disapproval  of  such  practices 
as  publicly  naming  individuals  in  prayer ;  and  the  Pres- 
bytery of  Oneida  adopted  the  pastoral  letter  of  the 
General  Assembly  in  1832,  as  a  substitute  for  a  missive 
to  its  churches  on  the  religious  excesses  common  at  that 
day.  "  Oberlin  Perfectionism''  had  considerable  cur- 
rency for  a  time,  and  Chenango  and  Cortland  and  other 
Presbyteries  condemned  it,  and  Onondaga  Presbytery 
published  an  able  refutation  of  it,  "Unionism  "  made 
high  pretensions  to  piety  and  charity,  but  was  bitter 
towards   existing  denominations,  and  fiercely  assailed 

*The  Presbytery  of  Chenango  was  eminently  determined  in  its 
exactness  of  an  adequate  preparation  for  preaching,  and  in  the 
purpose  to  stay  immaturity  in  it.  Rev.  Dr.  John  B.  Hoyt  relates 
that  his  brethren  were  so  intent  the  night  of  November  11,  1833, 
in  investigating  the  charge  against  one  of  its  candidate!  of  tilling 
pulpits  before  he  was  licensed,  that  they  did  not  notice  the  memor- 
able phenomenon  of  falling  stars,  which  occurred  then,  and  knew 
nothing  of  it  until  told  by  their  hosts  on  going  back  to  their  | 
of  entertainment. 

f  The  trials  of  intruding  Evangelists    reqnin  -•    and  for- 

titude. Chenango  Presbyterj  prosecuted  Nehemiah  Oolbe,  ■  mem- 
ber of  Detroit  Presbytery,  at  the  tXpenM  of  un  exceedingly  tnr 

bulent  agitation  from  it. 


138  PRESBYTERIANISM  IN  TEE 

them  and  sent  forth  multitudes  of  extemporized  preach- 
ers to  spit  venom  upon  them,  and  to  strike  violently  at 
them ;  and  the  Presbyteries  stripped  it  of  its  disguise 
and  exposed  its  ugliness  and  mischievousness.  The  Kev. 
C.  E.  Goodrich  was  called  by  the  Presbytery  of  Otsego, 
in  1833,  to  answer  the  charge  of  holding  doctrines  con- 
trary to  the  standards  of  the  Presbyterian  church,  the 
specification  being  that  he  believed  that  infants  were 
born  into  the  world  with  no  moral  character.  Mr.  Good- 
rich denied  the  charge,  but  admitted  the  specification. 
The  case  was  referred  to  the  Synod  of  Utica,  and  that 
body  sustained  the  charge  after  "  hearing  the  defend- 
ant's interpretation  of  moral  character"  as  meaning  "the 
result  of  actual  transgression,  or  a  fruit  of  action,"  and 
then  "  kindly  admonished  him  that  "his  statement  con- 
Yejs  a  sentiment  which  is  a  departure  from  the  true 
sense  of  our  confession  of  faith,  and  that  the  use  of  it  is 
imprudent  and  of  injurious  tendency,  and  ought  to  be 
discarded."  Yol.  1 :  103.  Men  like  Dr.  Richards,  could 
not  tolerate  heresy  and  disorder,  and  would  not  cloak 
them,  and  yet,  familiar  with  what  had  transpired  on 
the  field,  they  denied  the  charges  of  irregularities  and 
disorders  as  superlative  in  it  and  characteristic  of  it. 
"An  epidemic  radicalism,"  they  said,  had  "  swept  over 
the  land,  but  the  impression  that  it  has  swept  exclu- 
sively or  chiefly  over  one  division  of  the  church,  or  that 
it  has  been  successfully  resisted  in  one  part  and  toler- 
ated in  the  other,  can  be  the  result  only  of  great  misin- 
formation." "They  were  not  tolerated"  here,  "but 
prayerfully  resisted  from  the  pulpit  and  the  press,  and 
in  the  Presbyteries  by  arguments,  resolutions  and  ex- 
postulations."    "These   Synods,  therefore,  have  been 


SYNOD  OF  VENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  139 

exiled  from  the  church  as  delinquents,  while,  in  fact, 
they  have  been  occupied  in  a  discreet  and  successful 
performance  of  their  duty  in  circumstances  of  great 
delicacy  and  difficulty. 

The  creeds  drawn  up  by  the  Presbyteries  for  their 
churches,  set  forth  their  orthodoxy,  and  that  inimitable 
paper,  drafted  by  Eev.  Dr.  Baxter  Dickinson,  then  of 
Auburn  Seminary,  and  presented  as  the  answer  of  the 
minority  of  the  Assembly  of  1837,  to  the  charges  of 
heresy  among  us,  and  reaffirmed  by  the  Auburn  Con- 
vention, so  distinctly  and  fully,  and  yet  succinctly  states 
error  and  truth  on  controverted  points,  and  is  so  satis- 
factory, that  the  Joint  Committee  on  Reunion  proposed, 
at  one  time,  to  make  it  the  doctrinal  basis  on  which  the 
two  branches  of  the  church  should  come  together. 

DISCIPLINE. 

Discipline  was  likewise  kept  up.  The  extent  to 
which  it  was  carried  is  indicated  by  the  minuteness  of 
the  offences  it  reached,  as  illustrated  by  facts  already 
mentioned,  and  the  books  of  the  Presbyteries,  particu- 
larly in  their  early  days,  are  laden  with  references  and 
appeals.  Ministers  were  brought  to  account  with  even 
more  stringency  than  communicants.  It  is  a  sorrowful 
and  humiliating  list  they  make — one  was  deposed  for 
heresy,  {Onondaga  ">:(,'k2,)  consisting  in  a  general  denial 
of  " the  essential  articles  of  the  Presbyterian  Church ;" 
two  for  schism-  Onondaga  -1:111  and  Oneida  L845; 
one  for  falsehood  and  schism — Onondaga  5 :  860 ;  one 
for  deception  and  falsehood — Oswego;  five  for  passion- 
ateness  and  violence  of  speeoh,  and   three  in  Oneida: 


14:0  PRESS  TTEEIANIS At  IN  THE 

two  for  violating  the  Sabbath  in  secular  business — St 
Lawrence  333  and  Onondaga  3  :  355  ;  one  for  imposture 
and  dishonesty — St  Lawrence  1 :  817  ;  three  for  intem- 
perance—  Oneida,  1835,  and  Oneida,  1831,  Wateitown 
3:344,  1862;  four  for  unchaste  advances — Oneida, 
1831,  St  Lawrence,  1845,  and  Otsego,  1847;  five  for 
adultery — St  Lawrence  1 :  87,  1818,  Watertown  3  :  177T 
1853,  Oneida,  1836  and  1843,  and  JJtica,  1849  ;  and  one 
for  intemperance  and  adultery — Oneida,  1842. 

But  sorrowful  and  humiliating  as  is  this  list,  and 
well  as  we  may  weep  and  blush  at  it,  the  comparison 
of  which  it  admits  vindicates  the  purity  of  the  minis- 
try. Only  one  in  a  hundred  of  its  incumbents  on  the 
held  of  this  Synod,  during  a  period  of  more  than  sev- 
enty years,  has  proved  guilty  of  vice. 

CHURCH   QUARRELS. 

Quarrels  in  churches,  and  especially  between  ministers 
and  people,  have  been  far  more  disastrous  and  scarcely 
less  wicked  than  immoralities.  Holland  Patent  and 
Rev.  Oliver  Wetmore  were  involved  in  two  of  consid- 
erable violence ;  but  it  is  pleasant  to  read  that  the 
parties  to  the  first  acquiesced  in  the  decision  of  the 
Presbytery  upon  it,  and  "gave  each  other  the  right 
hand  of  fellowship  and  Christian  charity,"  and  that 
with  the  magnanimity  characteristic  of  the  noble  man, 
Mr.  Wetmore  promptly  and  cordially  made  the  ac- 
knowledgments of  faultiness  in  the  second  which  the 
Presbytery  required  of  him  and  his  principal  opponent. 
I  wish  as  much  could  be  said  of  one  of  his  successors, 
at  the  dissolution  of  whose  pastorate,  June,  1851,  the 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  141 

Presbytery  "expressed  their  regret  at  the  spirit  and 
language  of  the  pastor  in  assigning  the  reasons  for  his 
request"  and  declined  to  enter  them  upon  its  records. 
In  1840.  Joseph  W.  Paddock,  coming  from  a  Methodist 
Conference,  was  settled  over  the  church  at  Oneonta,  but 
soon  got  into  difficulty  with  it  and  was  dismissed. 
Disagreeing  with  the  trustees  about  his  claim  upon 
them,  he  appealed  to  the  courts,  and  after  two  or  three 
trials,  obtained  judgment  against  them.  Coming  into 
n  of  the  church  edifice,  "he  stripped  it  of  all 
its  fixtures,  even  to  the  rods  and  curtains  about  the 
gallery,  and  the  communion  service.  He  took  the  bell 
from  its  hangings  in  the  belfry,  and  dropping  down 
upon  a  pile  of  straw  drawn  to  receive  it,  it  was  broken 
in  the  fall.  The  frame-work  upon  which  the  bell  was 
suspended  was  thrown  to  the  ground,  and  one  of  the 
timbers  in  its  descent  striking  a  Mr.  Shellman,  who  was 
a  participator  in  the  scene,  killed  him  instantly."  The 
church  at  Union,  Broome  county,  was  Calvinistic  and 
harmonious  when  Rev.  T.  Dwight  Walker  came  to  it 
from  a  Methodist  Conference,  and  an  unhappy  division 
originated  with  him,  which  lasted  for  "half  a  genera. 
tioii."  The  First  Church  in  Utica  was  rent  by  an  in- 
stallation in  1*42.  which  took  from  it  no  small  portion 
of  its  culture-  and  wealth,  and  inflicted  wounds  that 
were   long   in   healing. 


THE   CHRIff]  [AN    SABBATH. 

Presbyterianism  in  Central  N<      York  was  outspokeo 

for  the  sanctity  of  the  Sabbuth,     The  patriol  inhabitants 

yon  county  (extending  from  a  line  running  north 


142  PRESBTTER1AN1SM  IN  THE 

and  south  through  the  center  of  Schoharie  county  to 
the  western  limits  of  the  State)  formed  an  association 
as  a  temporary  government,  with  a  general  committee 
at  the  head  of  it,  and  town  committees  for  conference, 
correspondence  and  coopertion  with  this.  A  letter 
from  the  Cherry  Valley  town  committee,  dated  June 
9th,  1775,  indicates  their  regard  for  the  clay : 

Sirs:  We  received  yours  of  yesterday  relative  to  the  meeting 
of  the  (general)  committee  on  Sunday,  which  suprised  us  not  a 
little,  inasmuch  as  it  seems  not  to  be  on  any  alarming  circum- 
stance, which  if  it  was  we  should  readily  attend.  We,  therefore, 
conclude  not  to  join  our  attendance  at  this  time,  unless  you  ad- 
journ the  committee  until  Monday;  and  in  that  case  we  will  give 
our  attendance  as  early  as  you  please.  We  do  not  allow  ourselves 
to  be  cut  short  of  attending  on  the  public  worship  unless  the  case 
be  so  necessitous  as  to  exceed  the  sacrifice.  We  conclude  with 
wishing  success  to  the  common  cause,  and  subscribe  ourselves 
the  free-born  song  of  liberty. 

As  early  as  1812  the  General  Assembly  lifted  its 
voice  against  the  transportation  and  opening  of  the 
mails  on  Sunday,  and  in  1814  called  on.  the  Presby- 
teries to  summon  their  churches  to  protest  to  Congress 
against  it.  The  Oneida  Presbytery  responded  at  once, 
and  instructed  the  Sessions  to  get  signatures  to  such 
papers,  and  followed  this  up  at  its  next  meeting  by  in- 
structing  delinquent  Sessions  to  perform  the  service 
immediately.  Ten  years  afterwards  the  reports  of  the 
Postmaster-Genera!  alarmed  the  Christian  people  of  the 
country  and  aroused  them  to  renewed  efforts  to  stop  and 
close  the  mails  on  Sunday,  and  secure  generally  the  ob- 
servance of  the  day.  This  section  of  the  State  warmly 
enlisted  in  the  cause,  and  became  its  principal  battle 
gn  >und.  A  powerful  line  of  stages  held  the  route  from 
Albany  to  Buffalo,  running  seven  days  a  week  and 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  143 

carrying  the  mails.  Largely  by  the  energy  and  liber- 
ality of  Mr.  Josiah  Bissell,  of  Rochester,  with  Aristar- 
chus  Champion,  of  that  city,  as  his  main  supporter,, 
and  aided  by  many  others  there  and  in  different  places, 
the  "  Pioneer  Line"  was  started,  lying  by  on  Sunday, 
and  forthwith  war  was  proclaimed.  The  old  line  had 
greatly  the  advantage,  not  only  in  the  occupancy  of  the 
field  and  in  the  sinews  of  war,  but  in  the  heartiness  of 
its  agents  and  employes,  and  the  favor  of  the  class  who 
surround  relays,  and  in  the  boldness  of  its  friends. 
Clerks  and  drivers  took  places  for  the  Pioneer  Line 
almost  altogether  for  the  wages  they  got,  and  often 
slily  turned  away  patronage  from  it,  while  only  now 
and  then  a  good,  ringing  voice  sounded  forth  for  it  I 
say  nothing  now  about  the  wisdom  of  this  particular 
measure.  It  certainly  was  of  problematical  expedienc}-, 
and  disastrously  failed;  but  in  the  Sunday  war  of  that 
day  the  true  blue  of  Presbyterian  ism  floated  over  the 
battle  fields  and  waved  in  the  thickest  of  the  fights. 
And  never  did  it  stack  its  arms.  Appear  in  whatc\  er 
form  the  enemy  might,  the  bugle  blew  a  bast.  Men- 
tion has  already  been  made  of  the  assault-  on  Sunday 
cheese-making,  and  on  furnishing  milk  for  it.  More 
insidious  foes  were  attacked  No  ecclesiastical  boch 
could  be  more  anti-slavery  than  the  Delaware  Presby- 
tery, but  it  condemned  the  \  iolation  of  the  Sabbath  by 
the  abolition  agitation  Sunday  funerals  were  discour- 
aged, and  the  ministers  Instructed  to  dissuade  their 
people  from  them.41 

*  A  demonstration  has  been  recently  made  on  the  territory  of 
the  Synod,  in  part,  of  the  practicability  of  conducting  great  public 
enteprises,  even  in  emergencies,  consistently  with  an  observance 
of  the  Sabbath.    The  Delaware,  Lackawanna  ami  Western  Elavil- 


1 44  PRESB  YTER1A  NISM  IN  THE 

TEMPERANCE. 

The  principle  of  total  abstinence  from  ardent  spirits 
was  embraced  and  commended  on  its  first  announcement 
and  the  advanced  step  of  total  abstinence  from  all  intox- 
icating  drinks,  was  promptly   taken,   and   scarcely    a 

way,  which  has  always  stopped  its  numerous  and  large  trains  on 
the  Sabbath,  over  the  whole  length  of  its  long  lines,  determined 
to  narrow  its  broad  tracks,  and  the  following  is  the  Superintend- 
ent's report  of  its  accomplishment: 

"  Scranton,  Pa.,  May  30th,  1876. 
"Samuel  Sloan,  Esq.,  President: 

"Dear  Sir — I  wrote  you  yesterday  somewhat  hurriedly  regard- 
ing the  change  of  gauge.  I  now  give  you  a  more  full  report  of 
how  it  was  done.  On  Monday,  the  22d  inst.,  we  changed  one  track 
between  Scranton  and  Junction,  and  one  between  Scranton  and 
Binghamton,  where  we  had  two  tracks.  This  was  done  without 
stopping  a  train,  and  from  the  22d  until  the  29th  we  ran  broad 
gauge  trains  on  one  track  and  narrow  gauge  trains  on  the  other,, 
thus  keeping  up  our  regular  business.  On  Saturday,  the  27th,  we 
commenced  at  3  A.  m.  changing  the  second  track  on  southern, 
division,  also  the  single  track  on  northern  division,  the  Syracuse,. 
Binghamton  and  Utica  divisons,  all  of  which  was  successfully 
accomplished,  and  trains  commenced  running  before  dark  that 
day,  making  more  than  three  hundred  miles  of  track  changed  in 
one  day.  The  mine  tracks,  of  which  there  are  seventy-five  miles, 
have  been  changed  from  time  to  time,  as  best  we  could,  and  not 
interfere  with  the  daily  supply  of  coal.  The  whole  change  has 
been  made  without  any  Sunday  work  of  any  kind  being  done,  and 
without  an  accident  of  any  kind  to  person  or  property,  and  without 
stoppiny  a  passenger  train,  except  one  between  Scranton  and  Bing- 
hamton, one  on  the  Syracuse  and  Binghamten,  and  one  on  the 
Utica  division;  and  the  only  interruption  to  the  coal  shipments 
was  a  part  of  four  days  north  of  Scranton,  where  we  had  only  a 
single  track,  and  this  was  only  for  the  purpose  of  getting  the  cars 
all  unloaded  and  off  the  roads  before  the  change  was  made. 
Trusting  that  this  work  has  been  done  satisfactorily  to  you, 
I  am,  sir,  very  respectfully  yours, 

(Signed.)  "  W.  F.  Hallstead,  Superintendent.*' 


SYXOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW    YOBK.  145 

meeting  of  Synod  or  Presbytery  passed  without  a  deliv- 
ance  on  the  subject  of  temperance,  and  it  was  an  invari- 
able topic  in  the  narratives  of  religion.  The  zeal  felt  for 
it  prompted  a  ready  concurrence  in  promising  mod- 
promoting  it  and  earnest  inquiries  after  new  expedients. 
and  though  at  times  it  transported  good  brethren  into 
questionable  ordinances  respecting  it.  it  is  remarkable 
how  judicious  as  well  as  faithful  their  action  usually 
was.     In  1S27  the  Ogdensbnrg  Presbytery 

Resolved,  That  this  body  will  hold  themselves  bound  to  abstain 
from  the  use  of  ardent  spirits,  and  that  we  earnestly  recommend 
all  our  churches  to  do  the  same. 

And  the  Presbytery  of  I  tl828,  expr< 1  its 

approbation  of  entire  abstinence  from  ardent  spirits 
except  as  a  beverage,  and  Watertown  Presbytery  an- 
swered an  overture  asking  that  total  abstinence  or  the 
signature  of  a  pledge  to  that  effect  should  be  pronounced 
a  term  of  church  membership,  that  this  was  not  advisable 
ble  except  where  churches  were  agreed  upon  it.  while 
Cortland  Presbytery  on  its  own  motion  advised  it.  and 
the  Presbyteries  generally  endorsed  and  encouraged  the 
his  movements  to  obtain  a  legal  restraint  and  pro- 
hibition of  the  liquor  traffic. 


PATRIOTISM    OF    If  1 1:    MINISTERS    A\l>   CHURCHES. 

The  patriotism  of  such  Christians  would  be  a  matter 
The  revolution  signally  manifested   it.  as 
ly  remarked,  and  on  the  breaking  out  ^i  hostilities 
againsl  the  Union,  the  men  and  women,  whose  denun- 
ciation of  slavery   was  so  largely   the  provocation  of 
tin-in.  stood  by  their  utterances,  and  aa  soldiers  and  the 

K 


146  PRESB  TTER1ANISM  IN  THE 

supporters  and  succorers  of  soldiers,  fought  and  gave 
and  worked  in  the  maintenance  of  them.  All  of  us 
well  recollect  the  scenes  of  those  days ;  the  large  and 
enthusiastic  public  meetings ;  the  outpouring  of  money ; 
the  mustering  and  departure  of  troops ;  the  sewing 
circles,  and  gathering  and  shipping  of  supplies;  the 
ministeries  of  both  sexes  on  fields  and  in  hospitals. 
Presbyterianism  here  prayed  and  preached,  and  upheld 
and  encouraged  the  government  by  word  and  deed. 
Mr.  Lincoln  acknowledged  the  service  of  the  church  of 
the  country  at  large  and  especially  the  cheer  he  got 
from  it,  and  no  church  in  any  section  of  the  country 
sent  forth  more  encouragment  and  aid  than  ours.  It  was 
no  blind  and  headlong  zeal  that  fired  and  impelled  it 
but  a  zeal  according  to  knowledge.  The  Synod  of 
Utica  laid  down  the  following  principles  of  action  in 
the  premises.    Records  2  :  264. 

That  inasmuch  as  in  this  country,  the  Church,  in  consequence 
of  her  separation  from  the  State,  is  justly  denied  a  voice  in  our 
halls  of  legislation,  and  is  properly  excluded  from  all  direct  and 
authoritative  interference  with  civil  affairs,  while  at  the  same 
time  there  are  great  principles  underlying  and  interwoven  with 
our  civil  institutions,  in  which  both  religion  and  morality  are 
vitally  interested,  it  becomes  her  duty  on  all  fit  occasions,  to  rec- 
ognize those  principles  and  inculcate  them  upon  the  people 
through  the  pulpit,  the  press,  and  our  ecclesiastical  assembles. 

That  among  these  principles  affirmed  in  the  Word  of  God  as 
obligatory  upon  us,  we  recognize  the  institution  of  civil  govern- 
ment and  the  duty  of  a  loyal  obedience  to  it,  when  it  answers  the 
ends  for  which  it  is  appointed  of  God. 

That  we  recognize  in  our  national  government  the  ripe  product 
of  the  purest  civilizations  of  the  past,  especially  as  they  have  been 
moulded  by  the  Bible  and  the  influence  of  Christianity,  under 
which  civil  and  religious  liberty  have  been  largely  secured,  and 
the  richest  elements  of  prosperity  brought  home  to  the  people, 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  147 

and   the  church  put  in  possession  of  an  open  field  for  the  ad- 
vancement of  religion  without  let  or  hindrance. 

That  we  recognize  in  the  system  of  slavery,  as  constituted  by 
law  in  these  United  States,  an  influence  that  from  the  beginning, 
has  been  hostile  to  religion,  demoralizing  to  social  life,  and  at 
war  with  the  original  spirit  and  purpose  of  our  noble  institutions. 

At  the  imminency  of  the  war,  no  abatement  was 
shown  in  the  intolerance  of  slavery.  The  Synod  of 
Susquehannah  "  recommended "  in  1856,  "  increased 
watchfulness  and  activity  to  promote  the  speedy  limita- 
tion of  its  aggressions  and  the  deliverance  of  those  that 
are  held  in  bondage."  At  its  outbreaking  the  Judicato- 
ries summoned  the  people  to  enlist  freely  and  manfully 
in  it.     In  1861,  the  Presbytery  of  Otsego,  p  434, 

Resolved,  I,  That  we,  the  Otsego  Presbytery,  do  most  heartily 
respond  to  the  recent  patriotic  resolutions  of  our  General  Assem- 
bly, and  do  hereby  pledge  ourselves  to  obey,  in  the  spirit 
of  those  instructions,  the  voice  of  conscience  and  of  God,  for  the 
preservation  and  permanence  of  the  integrity  of  these  United 
States  of  America. 

Resolved,  II,  That  while  we  deplore  all  fratricidal  carnage,  and 
pray  most  fervently  that  God  will  change  the  purposes  of  our 
country's  foes,  we  promise  to  do  all  we  can  by  personal  labor, 
self-sacrifice  and  prayer,  to  give  the  iron  force  of  this  most  right- 
eous war  the  sanction  and  cooperation  of  the  church  ;  and  further- 
more, 

Resolved,  III,  that  we  recommend  our  several  churches  to  unite 
the  fearlessness  of  conscientious  seal  with  the  noblest  Liberality  of 
outlay  until  the  evils  against    which    we   fight    arc    liv    the   aid  of 

<ii)d,  utterly  crushed  out,  in  the  firm  belief  that  thus  our  bumble 
influence   will  tend  towards  the  final  ami   complete  coronation 

of  the  Saviour  as  King  Of  nUngfl  and   Lords  <d    holds. 

At  important  and  critical  stages  in  its  progress,  it 
w.-nt  forth  boldly  to  help  the  war  on.  WTioof  as  but  well 
remembers  the  sensation  ]>r<><lurr<l  bj  tin-  Emancipation 


148  PRESBVTEIilAM^M  IN  THE 

proclamati<  >n.  Many  good  citizens  doubted  about  it  and 
wavered  None  of  our  ecclesiastical  bodies  hestitated 
to  sustain  it.  but  spoke  in  the  language  of  the  Synod  of 
U"tica,  1862:  2  :  265  : 

That  in  the  present  rebellion,  we  see  the  lust  of  power  and 
the  spirit  of  insubordination,  in  their  origin  and  development  inti- 
mately connected  with  this  system,  attempting  to  destroy  the 
noblest  and  purest  government  on  which  the  sun  ever  shone, 
and  on  its  ruins  erect  one  whose  corner  stone  is  oppression  ; 
whose  top  stone  is  the  aggrandizement  of  the  few  at  the  expense  of 
the  many,  whose  sole  spirit  is  alike  opposed  to  the  best  interests  of 
humanity  and  the  clearest  teachings  of  the  Word  of  God.  As 
patriots  we  abhor  it,  as  Christians  we  condemn  it,  and  as  a  church 
of  the  Lord  Jesus  we  will  not  cease  to  exhibit  its  opposition  to 
Christianity  until  it  is  crushed  to  the  earth. 

When  our  rulers  and  captains  were  criticised  and 
blamed,  words  of  cheer  were  sent  to  them.  The  Synod 
of  Utica  :  2  :  266, 

Bt  soloed,  That  while  we  thank  God  for  placing  at  the  head  of 
this  nation  in  this  our  hour  of  trial,  a  man  in  whose  patriotism  and 
ability  we  have  entire  confidence,  we  pledge  to  him,  his  associates 
and  that  noble  army  of  our  brothers  and  sons  who  have  gone 
forth  to  fight  this  great  battle  of  religious  and  civil  freedom,  our 
sympathies,  our  prayers,  and  our  most  hearty  cooperation  in  all 
fit  ways,  even  if  need  be  to  the  sacrifice  of  life  itself,  until  God 
in  his  righteous  providence,  shall  establish  the  nation  on  the  solid 
foundations  of  justice  and  truth,  and  with  it  make  our  Zion  the 
joy  <>t'  the  whole  earth. 

That  not  until  we,  as  a  nation,  shall  duly  recognize  the  hand 
•d  in  our  civil  as  well  as  religious  affairs,  and  humbling  our- 
selves mi  account  of  our  many  offences  against  his  authority  and 
law  we  shall  look  to  him  for  wisdom  and  success,  can  we  expect 
that  this  great  conflict  will  issue  happily  for  this  nation  and  the 
world. 

The  Synod  of  Susquehannah,  153, 

/.'■  BOfo&d,  That  we  deeply  sympathize  with  the  President  of  this 
nation,  and  all   associated  in  authority  with  him,  in  the  solemn 


8TN0D  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  149 

responsibilities  committed  to  them,  and  would  constantly  com- 
mend them  to  God  in  our  prayers,  that  they  may  have  wisdom 
from  above  to  conduct  this  dreadful  war  to  the  accomplishment 
of  God's  purposes  in  it. 

The  recognition  of  the  sovereignity  of  God,  and 
prayer  and  submission  to  him,  and  repentance  and 
reformation,  were  diligently  taught  as  the  indispensable 
means  and  conditions  of  success,  and  of  comfort  and 
support  in  distresses  and  griefs.  The  Susquehannah 
Synod  expressed  itself  thus: 

In  view  of  the  present  agitated  state  of  our  country,  the  steady 
aggressions  and  increased  demands  of  the  supporters  of  slavery, 
the  outrages  and  crimes  that  have  been  committed  in  our  territory 
and  at  the  seat  of  government,  the  threatening  aspect  of  the  po- 
litical horizon,  the  violence  of  political  and  sectional  strife,  and 
the  danger  we  are  in  as  a  nation  and  as  individuals  of  forgetting 
our  obligations  to  and  dependence  upon  that  wisdom  and  power 
which  are  from  on  high,  we  earnestly  recommend  to  ministers 
and  churches  increased  prayer  to  Almighty  God  that  he  would 
not  withhold  his  mercy  from  us,  but  that  he  would  avert  his 
judgments  to  which  our  sins  have  exposed  us:  that  he  would  im- 
bue our  rulers  with  a  spirit  of  wisdom  and  of  the  fear  ot 
that  he  would  guide  and  protei  t  our  citizens  in  the  approaching 
election  of  officers  and  representatives,  defeat  the  conns* 
those  who  would  prostrate  and  destroy  our  free  institutions,  and 
give  peace  and  prosperity  to  our  whole  country. 

The  language  of  the  Presbytery  of  Onondaga  corre- 
sponded to  this  : 

We  believe  it  to  lie  a  truth  that  the  church  ought  most  in'. 
to  feel  that  in  the  present  fearful  crisis  of  our  country  the  safety 
and  preservation  of  her  institutions  depends  more,  undei 

upon  the  prayers  and  efforts  Of  the  church  than  upon  any  and  all 

other  instrumentalities  besides;  because  it  is  only  [n  answ< 
her  prayers  that  she  can  hop.-  to  secure  God's  favor,  and  only  in 
answer  to  such  prayers  that  bis  Spirit,  which  can  alone  subdue 
and  turn  and  mould  aright  the  hearts  of  men,  can  !>e  reasonably 
expected  to  be  poured  out  upon  the  people.     We  would  pi. 


150  PRESBTTERIANISM  IN  THE 

therefore,  upon  the  church  as  her  most  solemn  duty  that  she  now 
earnestly  and  persistently  plead  with  God  that  he  would  pour 
out,  his  Spirit  upon  his  people,  reviving  and  strengthening  their 
faith,  and  upon  the  hearts  of  the  entire  people  that  they  may  be 
led  suitably  to  recognize  the  supremacy  of  the  Most  High,  and 
humbly  to  acknowledge  their  dependence  upon  him,  until  they 
shall  feel,  to  adopt  the  language  of  the  prophet:  "  Let  not  the 
wise  man  glory  in  his  wisdom;  neither  let  the  mighty  man  glory 
in  his  might;  let  not  the  rich  man  glory  in  his  riches;  but  let 
him  that  glorieth  glory  in  this,  that  he  understandeth  and  know- 
eth  me,  that  I  am  the  Lord  which  exerciseth  loving  kindness, 
judgment  and  righteousness  in  the  earth,  for  in  these  things  do  I 
delight,  saith  the  Lord."     Onondaga  Synod  179. 

And  these  instructions  and  appeals  were  heeded  and 
answered.     The  Susquehannah  Synod  relates,  p.  156 : 

From  the  verbal  reports  given  in  Synod  we  learn  what  is  well  un- 
derstood throughout  the  community,  that  a  strong  and  deep  seated 
spirit  of  patriotism  animated  our  congregations,  leading  them  to 
make  great  sacrifices  for  the  good  of  our  country  in  this  time  of 
blasphemy  and  rebuke,  when  the  very  life  of  our  government  is 
threatened  by  armed  traitors  and  rebels.  Many  of  our  noble  and 
excellent  young  men,  who  were  efficient  laborers  in  the  Sabbath 
School  and  prayer  meetings,  have  gone  forth  to  defend  the  great 
principles  of  freedom  and  righteousness,  and  to  fight  for  the 
supremacy  of  the  laws.  They  and  their  fathers  and  mothers, 
and  the  churches  with  which  they  are  connected,  have  cheerfully 
made  this  sacrifice.  We  bid  them  god-speed,  and  earnestly  pray 
for  their  success  and  safe  return,  when  it  shall  please  God,  who 
is  making  himself  known  by  the  judgments  which  he  executeth, 
to  grant  us  a  return  of  peace. 

And  the  Chenango  Presbytery,  3  :  172,  relates  : 

In  reviewing  the  state  of  religion  in  our  churches  during  the 
year  just  closed,  there  is  much  to  instruct,  humble  and  encourage 
us.  It  has  been  a  year  of  peace  at  home.  None  of  the  churches 
have  been  disturbed  by  internal  dissensions  which  deserve  notice. 
But  we  have  palpable  evidence  that  we  have  a  terrible  civil  war 
in  our  land.  It  has  called  from  their  quiet  and  peaceful  homes 
many  of  our  choicest  young  brethren  in  the  churches,  and  many 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  151 

more  connected  with  our  congregations  and  Sabbath  Schools. 
Some  have  fallen  in  battle;  others  have  died  in  the  hospitals  of 
wasting  diseases;  others  have  come  back  to  us  maimed  and  crip- 
pled for  life;  others  still  are  standing  up  nobly  for  truth  and  the 
defence  of  our  good  government.  As  a  result,  our  membership 
has  been  reduced,  our  working  talent  and  energy  diminished. 
Several  of  our  churches  have  been  much  enfeebled  and  discour- 
aged. Desolation  and  sorrow  have  entered  many  of  our  house- 
holds in  the  stern  forms  of  bereavement,  while  all  hearts  have 
been  distressingly  anxious  and  more  or  less  diverted  from  the 
immediate  concern  to  be  cherished  for  lost  souls.  But  the  con- 
viction has  been  almost  universal  that  "the  Lord  hath  need"  of 
our  sons  and  brothers,  and  that  we  could  not  but  yield  to  his 
claims  by  cheerfully  giving  them  up  to  him.  In  our  ministry 
and  in  the  membership  of  our  churches,  with  only  an  occasional 
exception,  there  has  been,  and  still  is,  a  spirit  of  unflinching  ad- 
herence to  our  government  in  this  time  of  her  trial,  and  a  will- 
ingness to  make  any  sacrifice  yet  demanded  to  make  her  triumph 
over  rebellion  and  human  despotism  complete  and  final.  Loyalty 
to  God  includes  loyalty  to  a  good  and  wise  government;  and 
patriotism  is  believed  to  have  a  place  among  the  loftiest  and 
purest  of  Christian  virtues. 

Ninety-one  members  of  the  Ogdensburg  Church  were 
enlisted  and  commissioned,  fifteen  of  whom  were  slain 
in  battle  or  died  from  disease. 

The  ministry  furnished  recruits  and  chaplains.  Rev. 
William  J.  Erdman,  of  Onondaga  Presbytery,  shoul- 
dered a  musket  and  entered  the  ranks.  Rev.  Edwin 
Lord,  of  Oswego  Presbytery,  suspended  bis  pastorate 
and  exercised  an  army  chaplaincy.  Rev.  0.  N.  Benton, 
of  Tioga  Presbytery,  received  a  mortal  wound  a1  New- 
born, N.  G,  where  "with  a  Belecl  few  of  his  regiment 
he  was  executing  an  important  but  dangerous  order.1' 
The  memorial  of  bim  by  his  Synod  (Onondaga)  and 
his  Presbytery  (Tioga)  are  a  fitting  pan  of  this  narrative : 


152  PRESBTTERIANISM  IN  THE 

As  a  Christian  minister  Brother  Benton  magnified  his  office. 
He  was  faithful,  judicious  and  successful.  The  church  of  Apa- 
lachin,  Tioga  county,  of  which  he  was  the  endeared  and  honored 
pastor,  grew  in  numbers,  stability  and  usefulness  during  his 
labors  upon  that  field.  And  but  for  that  causeless  and  unholy 
rebellion  which  has  so  extensively  changed  the  plans,  prospects 
and  positions  of  our  churches,  the  people  of  Apalachin  and  their 
minister  might  long  have  been  united  and  happy  in  the  prosecu- 
tion of  their  home  work.  But  such  was  not  their  happy  lot. 
The  reason  was  sufficient,  and,  in  obedience  to  the  call  of  their 
country,  Brother  Benton,  with  many  of  his  people  who  had  thor- 
oughly imbibed  his  spirit,  passed  from  the  pursuits  of  parish  life 
to  the  employments  and  dangers  of  the  soldier. 

Some  of  the  incidents  in  this  transition  state  are  well  known  to 
Synod,  and  the  impressions  made  by  them  upon  our  minds  cannot 
easily  be  erased.  Few  of  those  who  were  present  at  our  last 
meeting  will  forget  his  fraternal,  modest,  sincere,  earnest  and 
prayerful  leave-taking.  "Brethren,"  said  he,  "pray  for  me, 
that  I  may  stand  firm  maintaining  a  consistent  ministerial  and 
Christian  character.  I  have  some  sense  of  my  feebleness,  and  of 
the  need  of  more  than  mortal  strength.  Pray  for  the  officers  and 
men  of  my  regiment — Shepherd's  Rifles.     Farewell." 

And  so  he  left  us,  went  with  his  charge  to  the  field  of  battle, 
and  showed  to  the  last  a  consistent  devotion  to  that  cause  which 
demands  the  consecration  of  every  loyal  American  heart. 

At  Newbern,  while  with  a  select  number  of  his  regiment  he 
was  executing  a  dangerous  but  important  and  appropriate  order, 
he  received  the  fatal  wound  which  caused  him  to  linger  just  long 
enough,  in  extreme  suffering,  to  enable  him  to  show  how  a 
Christian  can  die,  as  by  his  precepts  and  example  he  had  taught 
how  a  Christian  should  live. 

The  following  minute,  prepared  by  Kev.  S.  F.  Bacon, 
after  remarks  upon  it  by  several  of  the  brethren,  and 
a  prayer  by  Rev.  P.  Lock  wood,  was  unanimously 
adopted  by  a  rising  vote  of  the  Presbytery,  (Tioga,) 
and  copies  ordered  to  be  sent  to  the  widow  of  the  de- 
ceased  brother  referred  to,  and  to  the  church  in  Apa- 
lachin. 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  15  3 

1.  Resolved,  That  in  the  heroic  and  Christian  death  of  our 
beloved  brother,  Rev.  Orlando  N.  Benton,  killed  at  the  battle  of 
Newbern,  on  the  14th  of  March,  while  we  recognize  the  afflictive 
hand  of  our  Master  in  his  removal,  we  rejoice  that  we  as  a  Pres- 
bytery have  been  represented  in  the  great  struggle  which  is  now 
going  on  for  the  defence  and  maintenance  of  our  religious  as  well 
as  civil  liberties,  that  we  have  laid  a  noble  sacrifice  upon  the  altar 
of  our  country. 

2.  Resolved,  That  we  have  great  cause  of  thankfulness  that  the 
Lord  directed  his  steps  within  our  bounds,  and  that  he  has  with 
so  much  self-denial  spent  nearly  six  years  of  eminently  success- 
ful labor  in  one  of  our  infant  churches,  where  the  living  fruits 
of  his  ministry  attest  his  Christian  fidelity,  and  the  surrounding 
community  has  felt  his  influence  for  good,  both  in  his  fearless 
and  faithful  words  of  love,  and  in  his  unostentatious  and  Godly 
example. 

It  is  gratifying  to  record  the  testimony  that  the  war 
no  disaster  to  religion  on  this  field.  The  Synod  i  »f 
Utica  expressed  its  "abounding  gratitude  to  God  that 
amid  all  the  excitements  of  the  times  our  churches 
have  suffered  no  more,  while  they  have  contributed  so 
much  to  the  right  direction  of  the  patriotic  movements 
of  the  -lay."  vol.  2  :  252-3,  1861.  And  the  Chenango 
Presbytery,  3  :  178,  says: 

While  so  many  incidental  and  necessary  evils  have  prevailed 
in  connection  with  this  terrible  civil  war,  and  the  faith  and  piety 
and  peace  of  more  were  to  be  subverted  by  it,  .-till  we  cannot  but 
believe  that,  in  miuiv  and  perhaps  in  a  majority  of  cases,  per- 
sonal piety  has  been  materially  improved.  A  sense  of  depend- 
npoo  I  tod  lias  been  deepened;  a  spirit  of  prayex  has  been 
quickened;  the  graces  of  cheerful  submission,  resignation,  pa- 
tience and   hope  have  become  more   perfect.     Greal  Lesson*  of 

righteousness   have    heen  learned,  while  these  mighty  judgments 
have  been  abroad  in  the  land. 


1 54  PRESB  YTERIAN1SM  IN  THE 

ANTI-SLAVERY  AGITATION. 

The  Anti- Slavery  movement  forms  a  principal  chap- 
ter in  the  history  of  Presbyterianism  in  Central  New 
York.  Indeed,  there  onght  to  be  a  volume  on  it,  for 
the  sake  of  the  truth  of  history  and  the  reputation  of 
our  churches ;  and  it  would  furnish  an  illustration  of 
principle  and  of  devotedness  to  justice,  and  humanity, 
and  religion,  and  of  patient  continuance  in  well  doing, 
with  frequent  marrings  indeed,  that  must  compel  won- 
der and  admiration,  and  be  invaluable  in  its  teaching 
and  inspiration.  The  abhorrence  of  slavery  was  a  neces- 
sity of  such  a  ministry  and  church  as  ours  here,  and 
they  could  not  avoid  the  expression  of  it.  They 
responded  at  once  to  the  voice  that  was  raised  against 
the  system,  and  joined  at  once  in  the  effort  to  abolish 
it.  and  they  never  bated  their  breath  nor  spared  their 
strength,  until  the  wickedness  and  curse  disappeared. 
Feeling  intensely  as  they  did  on  the  subject,  it  would 
not  be  strange  if  they  sometimes  spoke  intemperately, 
and  yet,  from  our  present  stand  point,  few  of  the  reso- 
lutions and  papers  of  the  different  Judicatories  appear 
excessive  in  their  tone  and  exceptionable  in  their  senti- 
ments. They  are  valuable  contributions  to  the  anti- 
slavery  literature  of  the  times;  able  expositions  of  the 
evil  they  combattcd  and  of  Christian  duty  relating  to 
it.  and  for  the  most  discriminating,  as  well  as  fervid. 
There  is  great  variety  in  them,  suiting  the  changes  in 
the  state  of  things.  They  give  the  opinions  of  slavery 
held  by  the  bodies  thai  prepared  them,  as  by  the  Pres- 
bytery of  Otsego,  vol.  2:263,  in  1837,  and  the  Synod 
of  Utiea,  vol.  2  :  49,  in  1849;  arguments  against  it.  as 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  155 

by  the  Presbytery  of  Onondaga,  vol.  -4  :  15-16,  in  18-13; 
protests  against  it,  as  by  the  Synod  of  Onondaga,  p.  30,  in 
1855 ;  appeals  to  the  General  Assembly  to  act  upon  it,  as 
by  the  Presbytery  of  Watertown,  vol.  2  :  291-5,  in  1840, 
and  the  Presbytery  of  Onondaga,  vol.  4  :  17,  in  1843;  and 
calls  to  prayer  over  it,  as  by  the  Synod  of  Utica,  vol. 
1 :  104,  in  1834  :  denunciations  of  the  abrogation  of  the 
Missouri  compromise,  of  the  Kansas  outrage,  of  the  fugi- 
tive slave  law,  and  of  the  assault  on  Mr.  Charles  Sumner; 
petitions  for  emancipation  in  the  District  of  Columbia, 
and  for  emancipation  throughout  the  country,  and  con- 
gratulations upon  them,  and  tender  sympathy  is  ex- 
pressed for  involuntary  slaveholders  and  withering  re- 
bukes of  reckless  abolitionists.  Two  of  the  papers  are 
samples  of  the  whole. 

The  Committee  on  Slavery  presented  a  report  to  the 
Synod  of  Onondaga,  p.  30,  which  was  adopted,  and  is 
as  follows : 

The  Committee  to  bring  in  a  minute  on  the  subject  of  slavery, 
beg  leave  to  recommend  the  adoption  of  the  following  preamble 
and  resolutions: — 

Whereas,  it  is  plain  from  the  principles  set  forth  in  the  pream- 
bles and  constitution  of  the  United  States,  that  those  who  adopt- 
ed that  instrument,  never  intended  to  sanction  or  perpetuate  Amer- 
ican slavery;  and  whereas,  that  system,  as  it  now  exists,  is  palpa- 
bly repugnant  to  the  .spirit  of  the  gospel,  and  ought  everywhere 
to  be  discountenanced; 

Now,  therefore,  though  the  Presbyterian   Church  has  from  the 
beginning  borne  her  solemn  testimony  against   this  evil,  y.  • 
ing   causes  at  work    which  urgently    demand  a  reiteration  of  OttI 
sentiments  upon  this  subject,  Resolved,  Let,   That  the  system  of 

Slavery,  as  It  now  exists  in  this  land,  has  no  sanction  from  the 
Bible  or  from  common  humanity.  BtfSfffosd,  2d.  Thai  it  Is  more 
and  more  apparent  that  shivery  is  aggressive  in  its  character,  and 
that  its  advocates  and  abettors  are  designing  its  unlimited   exten- 


156  PRESBYTERIAN  ISM  IN  THE 

sion,  as  is  evident  from  the  passage  of  the  Fugitive  Slave  Bill,  the 
repeal  of  the  Missouri  Compromise,  the  enactment  of  the  Kansas 
and  Nebraska  Bill,  the  reckless  trampling  under  foot  of  the  rights 
of  the  ballot  box,  as  exhibited  in  Kansas,  the  mockery  of  justice, 
as  exhibited  in  some  courts,  and  other  acts  equally  significant. 

We  do,  therefore,  most  solemnly  and  earnestly  entreat  every 
friend  of  his  country  and  of  his  God,  to  resist  with  prayerful  yet 
sleepless  vigilance,  the  further  encroachments'of  an  evil  so  fright- 
ful and  so  crushing  in  its  character.  If  our  countrymen  shall 
fail  to  arrest  this  evil,  we  here  record  our  solemn  testimony  before 
God  and  the  world,  that  we  did  not  withhold  our  anxious  and  ear- 
nest warnings  against  the  dire  calamities  that  will  come  upon  us. 

The  report  of  the  Committee  on  Slavery,  being  the 
order  of  the  day,  was  taken  up  by  the  Synod  of  TJtica, 
2  :  6,  1849,  and  after  being  discussed  and  amended,  was 
adopted  as  -follows : 

Slavery,  as  it  exists  in  this  country,  is  so  well  suited  to  the  sel- 
fish passions,  that  it  cannot  fail  of  possessing  great  strength.  It 
ministers  to  whatever  there  is  of  lust,  of  power,  arrogance,  short- 
sighted covetousness,  indolence  and  licentiousness  among  the 
wealthy,  while  it  flatters  the  ignoble  pride  of  an  ignorant  populace, 
by  furnishing  a  class  of  objects  upon  whom  they  can  look  down 
with  contempt,  a  lower  deep  than  what  would  otherwise  be  the 
lowest  depths  of  society.  Thus,  where  it  more  immediately  pre- 
vails, this  insitution,  as  it  is  called,  secures  the  attachment  of  both 
rich  and  poor,  high  and  low.  The  system,  consequently,  is  se- 
cured by  the  political  power  which  is  in  the  hands  of  the  slavehold- 
ers. The  influence  which  this  circumstance  gives  it  in  contiguous 
states,  may  be  appreciated  at  once.  Besides  this,  slavery  has  all 
the  advantage  of  that  outward  polish  and  refinement,  which  leis- 
ure allows  and  wealth  commands.  It  is  not  strange,  then,  that 
this  system,  abhorrent  as  it  is  in  principle  and  practice  to  the  re- 
ligion of  Christ,  should  exercise  an  extensive,  not  to  say  a  controll- 
ing influence  in  those  circles,  even  where  the  Spirit  of  Jlim,  who 
came  to  preach  deliverance  to  the  captives,  is  understood  to  preside, 
for  religion  readily  sympathizes  with  cultivated  intellects  and  re- 
fined manners,  though  both  may  exist  without  vital  piety. 

The  inducement  is  strong  to  treat  this  crying  evil  with  great 
tenderness,  and  even  to  apologize  for  it  and  to  defend  it,  or  at 


SYNOD  OF  VENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  157 

least  those  who  by  its  laws  hold  their  fellow-men  as  property. 
On  the  other  hand,  those  who  have  awakened  to  its  sinfulness, 
and  the  guilt  of  those  who  participate  in  it,  may  not  have  been 
sufficiently  careful  to  consider  difficulties  in  the  way;  and  at  once 
excited  by  a  sense  of  wrong  and  irritated  by  the  violent  opposi- 
tion which  has  met  their  efforts,  they  have  often  spoken  unad- 
visedly, and  have  indulged  a  spirit  and  adopted  measures 
injurious  to  the  cause  of  their  Master  and  that  of  the  enslaved. 
"Opposition  will  make  a  wise  man  mad."  This  Synod  has  had 
sufficient  experience,  in  times  gone  by,  never  to  return,  we  trust, 
of  the  reciprocal  extravagance  of  both  contending  parties,  whose 
strife  often  originated  and  was  aggravated  by  mutual  misappre- 
hension. There  is  much  gratifying  evidence,  in  the  recent  action 
of  various  ecclesiastical  bodies,  and  especially  in  that  of  our 
recent  General  Assembly,  that  there  is  an  increasing  harmony  of 
sentiment  on  this  subject  in  the  church,  and  that  this  harmony 
is  coincident  with  increasing  hostility  to  slavery,  and  a  determi- 
nation that  at  no  distant  period  the  church  shall  be  clear  of  it. 
Some  are  afraid  that  the  exceptive  clauses,  in  their  condemnation 
of  slavery,  are  so  worded,  though  doubtless  unintentionally,  that  a 
slaveholder,  with  a  little  of  that  special  pleading  in  favor  of  self, 
which  poor  human  nature  is  so  ready  to  practice,  might  silence, 
if  not  satisfy,  his  conscience,  by  denouncing  the  system  while  he 
excuses  himself.  It  is  a  subject  of  congratulation,  however,  that 
the  entrance  to  the  byway  of  exceptions  is  somewhat  narrowed 
by  the  document  in  question. 

With  regard  to  the  guilt  of  the  slaveholder, some  have  referred 

it  entirely  to  selfishness  in  sustaining  and  abuse  in  the  practice 
incident  to  the  relation,  others  have  contended  that  the  simple 
relation  is  sin.  Sour  committee  would  suggest  that  there  is  no 
ambiguity  here  in  the  term  relation.  This  word  is  used  indiffer- 
ently to  describe  the  title  and  power  (according  to  certain 
and  shameful  laws)  to  hold  nut ti  as  property  and  again  the  exer- 

Of  that  title  and    power  so  as  t<>  retain  such    person  H  BJ   prop- 
erty or  slaves.     If,  then,  to  sustain  this  relation  means  merely  to 
hold  the  title,  there  ia  nothing  wrong  in  it.    On  the  cont 
every  true,  enlightened  I  bristian  would  rejoice  in  |  that 

title  and  power  that  he  mighl  exercise  it  by  letting  the  oppr< 
go  free.    [f,  however,  to  sustain  the  relation  means  to  hold  and 
i, 


158  PRESBYTER1ANISM  IN  THE 

treat  persons  as  property,  it  is  wrong  per  se,  for  so  to  do  is  to  act 
contrary  to  the  rights  wherewith  the  Creator  hath  endowed  his 
rational  creatures,  and  it  never  can  be  right  to  act  contrary  to 
right.  The  sin,  then,  is  not  in  having  the  power  to  do  wrong, 
but  in  doing  it;  not  in  having  the  power  to  hold  slaves,  but  in 
holding  them.  This  distinction  is  nothing  more  than  what  every 
lawyer  and  business  man  recognizes  between  holding  a  title  and 
entering  on  possession  of  property.  This  distinction  drives  the 
question  out  of  the  wilderness  of  secret  motives,  where  guilt  with 
Jesuitical  craft  delights  to  hide,  and  pursues  it  into  the  open  plain 
and  clear  daylight  of  palpable  fruits,  and  thus  it  would  bring  our 
discussions  on  this  subject  within  the  range  of  common  sense 
and  ascertained  right. 

In  considering  the  progress  of  public  opinion,  it  should  be  noted 
that  there  is  an  increasing  dislike  in  the  community  at  the  North 
to  admit  slaveholders  to  the  communion-table  and  the  pulpit.  Of 
this  fact  it  were  well  that  our  slaveholding  brethren  were  aware, 
and  when  aware  of  it,  and  consequently  feel  some  trouble  of 
mind  and  salutary  compunctions,  it  certainly  is  not  the  part  of 
Christian  charity  to  talk  of  such  feelings  as  being  the  offspring 
of  nothing  but  bigotry  and  frantic  fanaticism.  They  are  the 
result  of  awakened  conscience,  and  of  that  Spirit  which  remem- 
bers them  that  are  bound  as  being  bound  with  them,  and'which 
prays  that  God  would  give  to  all  offenders  in  Israel  repentance 
for  and  forgiveness  of  sins.  Meanwhile,  let  us  not  make  our  zeal 
for  liberty  a  cloak  of  pharisaic  arrogance  and  uncharitableness. 
Let  us  remember  our  own  frailty.  Let  us  remember  that  under 
their  training  and  circumstances  we  might  and  probably  would, 
in  our  weakness,  do  as  they  do.  Let  us  do  to  slaveholders  and  to 
slaves  what  we  would  wish  them  to  do  to  us. 

In  this  connection  your  committee  cannot  but  advert  to  the 
position  of  the  A.  B.  C.  F.  Missions.  They  hope  that  the  time  is 
at  hand  when  that  position  will  shine  by  its  own  light,  and  need 
no  defence  or  apology. 

The  following  resolutions  are  respectfully  recommended  to  the 
Synod  for  their  adoption : 

1.  Resolved,  That  we  truly  sympathize  with  our  slaveholding 
brethren  in  all  their  perplexities  and  difficulties  which  arise  from 
their  anomalous  position  as  Christian  professors  and  American 
slaveholders. 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  159 

2.  Resolved,  That  we  would  exercise  towards  them  all  meek- 
ness, charity  and  long  suffering,  while  we  entreat  them  to  relieve 
them  and  us  and  the  cause  of  Christ  from  all  that  reproach  which 
must  inevitably  attach  to  any  participation  in  such  a  system  as 
American  slavery. 

3.  Resolved,  That  we  hail  the  receat  action  of  the  General 
Assembly  as  an  advance  in  that  course  of  argument,  expostula- 
tion, entreaty  and  all  Christian  means,  which  we  trust  shall  be 
urged  with  untiring  love  until  the  Presbyterian  Church  shall  be 
cleared  of  the  last  vestige  of  this  grievous  calamity  and  deplora- 
ble sin. 

4.  Resolved,  That  without  entering  into  the  question  of  the 
power  of  the  A.  B.  C.  F.  Missions  over  their  missionaries,  we 
heartily  approve  of  the  sentiments  of  the  Rev.  S.  B.  Treat's  letter 
with  regard  to  the  relation  of  missionaries  and  mission  churches 
to  slavery  and  slaveholders. 

Many  congregations  were  divided  on  the  subject. 
None  of  their  members  would  acknowledge  themselves 
the  abettors  of  slavery,  but  there  were  degrees  in  the 
hostility  felt,  ranging  from  the  intense  to  the  feeble, 
and  the  two  extremes  could  not  avoid  strife.  Minis- 
ters bore  a  similar  classification,  and  agitated  Presby- 
teries and  Synods  at  times  with  unseemly  debates. 
And  there  was  a  sensitiveness  generally  in  the  churches 
and  judicatories,  which  was  quickly  awakened  into 
feeling,  or  that  induced  cautiousness  to  shun  exciting 
it.  or  incurring  personal  prejudice  from  it.  The  ultra- 
ists,  it  must  be  confessed,  were  violenl  and  intolerant 
Tli<'\  permitted  uo  bounds  to  hostility  to  slavery,  and 
no  differences  from  them  in  opinions  about  suppres 
it,  and  scarcely  any  sharing  of  Lnteresl  between  its 
abolition  and  any  other  good  cause,  and  thej  held  back 
from  the  destruction  of  uothing  that  they  thought  a 
hindrance  to  it.     The  welfare  of  a  church,  the  p 


160  PRESBYTERIANISM  IN  THE 

perity  of"  religion,  the  teaching  of  the  Scriptures,  the 
Bible  itself,  were  made  sacrifices  to  it.  And  yet  I 
never  knew  better  and  more  sincerely  Christian  people 
than  were  found  among  them.  It  fell  to  my  lot  to  be 
the  pastor  of  some  of  the  number  in  the  days  of  their 
flaming,  and  to  have  to  do  with  others  in  wider  rela- 
tions, and  while  I  shrunk  from  their  false  fire,  I  was 
drawn  to  the  holy  glow  that  wrarmed  them,  and  we 
were  more  ardent  as  friends  than  as  controversialists. 
It  also  fell  to  my  lot  to  associate  freely  with  some  of 
them  in  their  later  days,  when  the  fuel  in  them  had 
burned  out,  and  to  hold  a  sort  of  pastorship  of  them. 
They  had  left  their  church  connections  and  departed 
from  our  formularies  of  faith ;  but  there  was  no  doubt- 
ing the  realness  and  eminence  of  their  piety,  while  their 
integrity  was  a  marvel  and  a  charm.  I  went  down  with 
them  to  the  dark  valley  of  the  shadow  of  death,  and 
communed  with  them  by  the  way,  and  if  heaven  is 
open  to  saints,  they  certainly  passed  its  doors  and  en- 
tered in.  I  love  to  think  of  men  like  Job  Parker, 
Ebenezer  Sheldon  and  Deacon  Elisha  Cadwell.  The 
memory  of  them  is  sanctifying  and  sweet. 

Oneida  county  and  the  vicinity  heaved  from  the 
agitation.  The  prime  movers  of  it,  Beriah  Green,  Alvan 
Stewart,  Theodore  D.  Weld  resided  there,  and  Grerrit 
Smith  mar  by,  and  they  roused  Church  and  State. 
The  majority  of  the  Oneida  Presbytery  for  a  time  con- 
curred with  them,  and  always  dealt  leniently  with 
them.  It  was  impossible,  however,  to  keep  up  with 
their  advance,  and  thinking  the  Presbytery  and  the 
whole  Presbyterian  Church  laggard,  Mr.  Green  and 
three  others  withdrew  and  the  Whitcsboro  Association 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  161 

was  formed.  The  Wliitesboro  Church,  in  the  bounds 
of  which  Mr.  Green  lived,  was  rent  assnnder,  and  the 
section  in  sympathy  with  him,  constituted  a  Congrega- 
tional Church.  The  organization  of  this  church  was 
considered  a  breach  of  faith,  inasmuch  as  the  members 
of  it  had  been  released  from  their  former  connection 
with  a  view  to  then  forming  a  Presbyterian  Church,  and 
the  old  Whitesboro  church  overtured  the  Presbytery,  in 
quiring  whether  they  should  recognize  them  as  a  regular 
church.  A  heated  discussion  was  kindled  by  the  over- 
ture, and  an  affirmative  answer  being  given,  the  discus- 
sion was  transferred  by  complaint  to  the  Synod,  which 
pronounced  a  censure  on  the  Presbytery  for  advising  at 
the  time  a  recognition  of  the  regular  constitution  of  the 
church,  but  in  view  of  the  then  existing  circumstances, 
the  action  of  the  Presbytery  was  permitted  to  stand. 
The  Oneida  Institute  originated  with  Rev.  George 
W.  Gale,  a  native  of  North  East,  Dutchess  county.  N.  Y., 
1789,  a  graduate  of  Union  College  and  Princeton 
Seminary,  whose  health  obliged  him  to  retire  from 
a  successful  pastorate  at  Adams.  He  first  experi- 
mented with  it  al  Western,  but  after  carefully  maturing 
bis  plans,  he  opened  it  at  Whitesboro,  as  a  Manual 
Labor  High  School,  especially  for  candidates  for  the 
ministry,  and  gathered  a  huge  body  of  students  in  it, 
and  achieved  a  marked  success.  Leaving  for  Gales- 
boro,  where  be  settled  a  colony  and  founded  Knox 
College,  procuring  Lands  for  it  that  have  proved  a  rich 
endowment,  he  was  succeeded  03  Rev.  Beriah  Green, 
a  native  of  Vermont,  a  graduate  of  Middlebury  College 
in  lsi<),  and  of  Andover  Seminary  Is  1822,  and  a 
teacher  in  Philips  A^cademj  in  L820  21,  who  had  gained 


162  PRESBYTER1AN1SM  IN  THE 

a  high  reputation  and  universal  confidence  by  a  ministry 
in  Vermont  and  Connecticut  and  Maine  and  a  professor- 
ship of  sacred  literature  [in  Western  Reserve  College. 
Young  men  nocked  to  him  and  were  fascinated  by  him, 
and  embarking  in  abolitionism  and  going  to  its  utmost 
length,  he  took  the  Institute  with  him.  It  became  a 
home  of  ultraism,  and  the  numerous  members  of  the 
family  went  abroad  to  propagate  it.  Many  of  them 
were  made  wiser  by  observation  and  steadier  by  respon- 
sibility, and  became  eminently  useful  in  the  regular 
ministry.  The  Institute  was  worn  out  by  its  paroxysms 
and  lost  favor  by  its  extravagancies,  and  ready  to  perish 
it  passed  into  the  nurture  of  the  Free  "Will  Baptists, 
who  have  largely  added  to  its  buildings  and  filled  them 
to  overflowing. 

Mr.  Green  was  a  man  of  thorough  honesty  and 
indomitable  will  and  preeminent  logical  power,  and 
especially  of  an  unequalled  gift  for  interesting  a  pop- 
ular audience  in  the  closest  reasoning.  Men  like 
Gerrit  Smith  sat  teachably  at  his  feet,  while  the  com- 
mon people  heard  him  gladly.  Mr.  Smith  named  his 
only  surviving  son  for  him,  and  a  small  company  year 
after  year  down  to  the  last  of  his  life,  assembled  about 
him  in  his  little  chapel  at  Whitesboro.  He  was  made 
for  a  great  man  and  a  great  leader,  and  nothing  pre- 
vented this,  but  his  tenacity  of  purpose,  his 'Strength  of 
conviction,  his  logical  consistency,  his  resolute  and 
unflinching  proceedure  from  premise  to  conclusion,  and 
the  violent  surging  that  broke  the  hold  of  supernatural 
and  written  revelation  upon  him  and  the  allegiance  of 
liis  mind  to  its  authority,  and  left  him  to  pass  to  the 
extreme  of  rationalism.     Sad  enough  it  was  to  see  him 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  163 

in  the  wreck  he  made,  rustic  in  appearance,  almost  sol- 
itary among  men,  bereft  of  influence  and  position  in  the 
community,  inactive  in  the  midst  of  stirring  life,  and 
working  on  a  little  plot  of  land  as  his  employment. 

Theodore  D.  Weld  ran  a  similar  career.  A  professed 
convert  at  Utica  under  the  preaching  of  Mr.  Finney,  a 
communicant  of  the  First  Church  there,  a  student  in 
Hamilton  College,  a  licentiate  of  Oneida  Presbytery,  a 
candidate  for  the  ministry  at  Lane  Seminary,  he  was  a 
prodigy  in  intellect,  in  genius  and  in  eloquence,  and  of 
regal  sway.  .  Tearing  away  from  his  moorings  under 
the  anti -slavery  excitement,  he  returned  his  license  to 
the  Presbytery,  abandoned  the  church,  discarded  the 
supreme  authority  of  the  Bible,  silenced  his  golden- 
mouthed  speech,  folded  his  eagle  wing  and  lived  in  the 
solitude  and  muteness  of  a  grave. 

Such  was  the  grandeur  of  Gerrit  Smith,  so  far  did  he 
transcend  other  men  in  nobility  and  generosity,  that  it  is 
difficult  to  speak  of  him  with  moderation,  His  soul  had 
litting  tabernacle  in  his  massive  and  majestic  person,  and 
showed  itself  in  his  courtly  manners,  and  in  his  hand- 
some, benignant,  but  intelligent  and  strong  countenance 
Inheriting  a  princely  estate,  lie  used  it  for  the  race. 
identifying  himself  with  his  kind,  ami  especially  with 
the  bumble  and  needy  and  Buffering  and  wronged 
Nothing  selfish  or  small  contracted  him.  No  risk  and 
qo  sacrifice  daunted  him.  With  benevolence  and  jus- 
tice sovereign  with  him,  odium  and  contempt  and  p 
cution  bad  no  influence  with  him.  Bave  to  confirm  and 

embolden  him.      lie  was  QOl  a  period    man.  not  always 

prudenl  and  wise  and  conciliatory,  and  he  was  too 
unyielding  and   impetuous  and  denunciatory  and  too 


1 64  PRESB  TTERIANISM  IN  THE 

absolutely  a  doctrinaire.  He  left  his  early  christian 
associates  and  his  early  ecclesiastical  connections,  and 
adopted  the  co-called  liberals  for  his  intimates,  and  a 
pamphlet  he  published  late  in  life,  pained  old  friends 
who  loved  him  always,  by  the  sentiments  it  contains. 
It  was  prepared,  however,  at  a  time  when  he  manifested 
a  transient  abberration  of  mind,  and  charity  hopes  that 
it  did  not  express  his  normal  thoughts.  Certain  it  is, 
that  he  enjoyed  prayer,  and  so  familiar  was  he  with 
Scripture,  that  at  daily  family  worship,  he  never  took 
the  book  into  his  hands,  but  quoted  long  passages  from 
memory,  uttering  them  with  exquisite  elocution.  It  is 
gratifying  to  be  assured  by  some  who  were  acquainted 
with  the  last  exercises  of  his  mind,  that  he  died  with 
faith  in  the  Grospel  as  a  scheme  of  divine  grace,  and 
resting  on  the  sacrifice  of  Christ  as  the  propitiation  for 
sin. 

Alvan  Stewart  was  a  native  of  South  Granville, 
Washington  county,  1ST.  Y.,  1790.  By  heroic  struggles 
he  carried  himself  through  an  Academic  course  and  the 
curriculum  at  the  University  of  Vermont,  where  he 
graduated  with  high  honors,  and  the  study  of  law  at 
Cherry  Valley  and  Plattsburg.  After  an  extensive 
tour  at  the  west,  inquiring  for  an  eligible  place  of  prac- 
tice, he  settled  at  Cherry  Valley,  quickly  rising  to  note 
at  the  bar.  On  the  lapse  of  sixteen  years,  his  health 
waned,  and  in  1833,  with  a  competence  at  command, 
he  sought  retirement  at  Utica  from  the  engrossing  busi- 
ness of  his  profession.  Making  for  himself  one  of  the 
finest  homes  in  that  beautiful  envy,  he  enjoyed  the  lux- 
ury of  general  literature,  occasionally  going  back  to 
the  field  of  his  previous  activities  and  trying  important 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  165 

cases  in  the  courts.  The  spirit  of  the  reformer  and 
philanthropist  was  in  him,  and  coming  fully  to  possess 
him,  he  was  borne  at  last  to  an  unreserved  devotement 
to  temperance  and  emancipation,  and  showed  almost 
peerless  ability  and  effectiveness  in  the  advocacy  of 
them.  With  a  countenance  never  relaxed  by  it,  and 
that  showed  no  signs  of  the  existence  or  intention  of  it, 
and  that  thus  gave  great  power  to  it,  he  was  filled  with 
the  richest  humor,  and  while  convulsing  an  audience 
with  laughter,  his  pathos  melted  it  to  tears.  He  is 
described  by  a  brother  lawyer  as  "a  remarkable  man, 
somewhat  coarse  in  texture,  but  who  had  a  larger  fund 
of  quaint  and  apposite  stories  than  any  man  I  ever 
knew,  and  who,  though  a  little  ponderous  at  times,  car- 
ried tremendous  power  with  a  jury."  He  knew  by  the 
personal  experience  from  which  he  was  rescued,  some- 
thing of  the  sin  and  curse  of  strong  drink  which  he  so 
zealously  labored  to  remove,  and  with  feeling  strong  in 
the  control  of  him.  it  would  not  be  strange  if  he  was 
hurried  into  offences  and  faults,  and  probably,  it  may 
be  by  reason  of  the  violence  of  the  times  which  excited 
suspicions  and  prejudices,  there  were  minds  that  ques- 
tioned the  motives  that  induced  his  enlistment  in  the 
causes  he  so  zealously  espoused  He  closed  his  life  in 
1849  and  when  only  fifty-nine  years  old. 

In  18o.r>.  an  anti-slavery  convention  was  called  t<> 
meet  at  [Jtica  There  were  scarcely  twenty  pronounced 
sympathizers  with  it  in  the  city,  and  the  people  generally 
had  protested  againsl  its  being  held  among  them,  and 
when  it  assembled,  a  committee  appointed  by  them 
requested  it  to  adjourn;  and  Sailing  otherwise  to  accom- 
plish their  object,  they  formed  a  mob  and  dispersed  it. 


166  PRESB  YTERIA  NISM  IN  THE 

The  measure  was  high-handed,  and  would  be  inexcus- 
able, if  not  impossible,  in  our  better  instructed  times. 
Almost  any  true  man  might  have  been  drawn  by  it 
into  the  assaulted  ranks,  and  we  wonder  not  that  thus 
it  was  with  Gerrit  Smith.  He  had  been  previously  an 
ardent  colonizationist,  and  but  a  little  while  before,  had 
published  the  reasons  why  he  could  not  join  the  aboli- 
tionists. But  the  Utica  mob  thrust  him  among  them. 
He  invited  the  convention  to  Peterboro,  and  took  part 
in  its  proceedings  there,  and  soon  after  and  ever  after 
was  a  leader  and  untiring  laborer  and  liberal  giver  in 
the  society  it  formed.  And  there  was  heroism  in  the 
convention.  There  stood  its  President,  Alvan  Stewart, 
a  distinguished  lawyer,  an  eloquent  orator,  massive  in 
form,  but  enfeebled  \>y  sickness.  Proceeding  to  open 
its  sessions,  protests  and  entreaties  to  the  contrarj^  not- 
withstanding, and  come  what  might,  he  was  seized  by  a 
stout  passenger  runner.  Kecalling  his  herculean  strength 
for  the  instant  he  lifted  him  from  his  feet  and  tossed 
him  away.  Emptying  a  printing  office  of  its  type  and 
press,  the  mob  started  for  Mr.  Stewart's  house,  but 
finding  it  thoroughly  barricaded,  and  hearing  of  the 
fift}'  muskets  pointing  from  it,  they  thought  it  better 
to  hurry  away  to  the  rescue  of  a  comrade  who  had  been 
taken  to  the  police.  And  there  sat  its  Secretary,  the  ven- 
erable Oliver  Wetmore,  one  of  our  ministry.  Though 
enfeebled  by  age  and  exhausting  toil  among  our  early 
churches,  the  old  Puritan  of  his  ancestry  and  of  himself 
remained  in  him,  and  defying  the  wrath  that  raged 
about,  he  led  the  convention  in  prayer,  and  then  calmly 
proceeded  to  the  duty  assigned  him,  resolutely  refusing 
to  deliver  up  his  official  papers,  and  when  no  longer 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  167 

able  to  hold  them,  tossing  them  into  the  air.  There,  too, 
was  Spencer  Kellogg,  an  elder  of  the  church  and  a 
mayor  of  the  city,  known  all  over  the  country  from  his 
extensive  business  transactions, — there  he  was,  stalwart 
in  frame  and  fearless  in  danger,  assaulted  and  stripped 
to  the  back  while  struggling  to  protect  the  convention. 
Threatened  with  an  attack  on  himself,  he  walked  the 
streets  as  if  to  invite  it,  and  fortifying  his  house  lie 
defied  any  violence  to  it* 


REVIVALS   OF   RELIGION. 

But  revivals  of  religion  are  the  jewels  and  crown  of 
Presbyterianism  in  Central  New  York.  They  began 
with  "  the  great  revival "  of  1799,  and  so  almost  con- 
tinuously have  they  kept  up  since,  as  to  seem  like  its 
ceaseless  vibrations.  A  record  of  them  down  to  1870, 
shows  that  they  were  interrupted  in  onfy  four  or  five  of 
the  years  of  that  whole  space,  and  more  than  possibly  they 
occurred  in  those  years.  Sadly  different  was  it  with 
"the  great  revival"  of  1740,  under  Whitfield,  Edwards 
and  the  Tennents.    In  an  article  in  the  Christian  Specta- 

*  Says  Mr.  J.  A.S.:  "  Hearing  of  the  gathering  of  the  mob  at  Mr 
Kellogg's,  I  put  a  pistol  in  my  pocket  and  in  company  with  Col. 
Wm.  Williams,  hurried  there,  tad  making  oar  way  to  the  door, 
amid  whispering!  of  our  names  and  mutterings,  we  obtained 
admission.     A  largo  sheet  was  spread  on1  on  the  floor,  covered 

with  powder  and  ball  and  shot  and  muskets  stood  ;U  t  In-  windows. 

the  shutters  of  irhieh  were  arranged  tot  firing  in  every  direction, 
We  begged  •'.    the  oldest  daughter,  to  let  us  conduct  the  ladies 

of  the  family  to  places  of  safety,  fearing  that  they  must  hinder  a 
defence.  '  No!'  was  the  reply,  '  If  we  cannot  shoot,  we  can  help 
to  load.'" 


1 68  PRESB  YTERIANISM  IN  THE 

tor,  June,  1833,  the  Rev.  Luther  Hart,  of  Plymouth, 
writes,  "  From  an  examination  of  all  the  records  which 
we  have  been  able  to  command,  and  from  a  pretty  ex- 
tensive inquhy  of  the  living,  we  cannot  find  more  than 
fifteen  places  in  New  England  in  which  there  was  a 
special  work  of  grace  during  the  first  forty  years  after 
the  great  revival. "  Dr.  E.  D.  Griffin  states,  "Long  before 
the  death  of  Whitfield,  in  1770,  extensive  revivals  in 
America  ceased,  and  except  one  in  Stockbridge  and 
some  other  parts  of  Berkshire  county,  Mass.,  about 
1772,  and  one  in  the  north  quarter  of  Lyme,  Ct,  about 
1780,  and  one  in  several  towns  of  Litchfield  county,  Ct, 
about  1783,  I  know  of  none  till  about  1792." 


1799-1809. 

During  1799,  the  special  work  of  grace  was  principally 
manifest  in  the  southern  and  western  portions  of  the  terri- 
tory of  the  Synod,  and  extending  beyond  in  the  latter 
direction,  as  far  as  the  wave  of  population  had  flown. 
The  origin  of  it  has  been  traced  to  Broome  county,  un- 
der the  preaching  of  Seth  Williston,  but  its  power  was 
most  felt  in  Ontario  count}',  while  the  whole  intervening 
region  and  its  vicinity  was  the  theatre  of  it.  Dr.  Will- 
iston wrote:  "  There  has  been  a  remarkable  attention 
paid  to  public  instruction,  not  only  on  the  Sabbath,  but 
also  upon  week  days.  It  lias  been  difficult  during^the 
winter  to  get  places  large  enough  t<>  accommodate,  or 
even  contain  the  people  who  have  come  together  to 
hear  something  about  Jesus  and  bis  salvation.  Itseeined 
as  if  scarcely  anybody  was  at  home  who  could  possibly 
get  to  meeting.     Once  I  saw  about  four  hundred  people 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  169 

assembled  at  one  place.  When  at  the  place  of  worship, 
there  is  a  very  solemn  attention  paid  to  the  preaching. 
The  countenances  of  many  show  how  anxious  their 
minds  are  to  know  how  they  may  flee  from  wrath  to 
come.  There  are  some  pretty  remarkable  instances  of 
the  sovereignty  of  grace.  The  awakening  among  us  is 
free  from  noise  and  wildness.  Convictions,  in  general, 
are  pretty  clear,  and  the  supposed  conversions  are  not 
of  the  visionary  kind.  The  doctrines  which  God  makes 
use  of  to  awaken  and  convince  sinners  among  us,  are 
those  which  are  commonly  distinguished  as  Calvinistic 
doctrines.''  The  only  means  employed  that  may  be 
considered  special,  were  "  conference  meetings,"  and  they 
had  previously  become  common  in  New  England,  and 
differed  from  those  with  which  we  are  now  familiar, 
only  so  far  as  a  revival  of  religion  would  affect  them. 
The  exercises  had  particular  reference  to  inquiring  sin- 
ners, and  corresponded  for  the  time  to  our  "inquiry 
meetings,'1  and  served  their  purpose.  No  pains  were 
spared  in  the  instructions  given.  The  anxious  were 
very  clearly  taught  the  terms  of  salvation,  and  young- 
converts  were  taught  to  discriminate  between  true  and 
false  hope. 

The    organization    of    a    considerable    Dumber    of 
churches  was  the  immediate  result  of  th<  I   re- 

vival," and  churches,  too,  composed  of  intelligent  and 
d  Christians,  and  that  proved  Btable  and  permanent, 

and  from  that  period  dates  their  rapid  multiplication  in 
this  region  of  the  country.  The  tide  of  infidelity  and 
of   irreligion   generally,    was    likewise   stayed,   and   the 

spiritual  destiny  and  character  of  the  community  deter- 
u 


170  PRESB  YTER1AN1SM  IN  TEE 

mined.  Prior  to  this,  the  prospect  was  dismal  enough. 
The  extensive  incursion  of  reckless  worldliness  and  of 
fundamental  error  into  the  new  settlements  had  forboded 
a  dark  future. 

In  1800,  the  revival  manifested  itself  eastward.  Che- 
nango, Oneida,  and  especially  Otsego  and  Delaware 
counties,  felt  its  power.  None  of  the  details  of  it  ap- 
pear in  documents  relating  to  Chenango  and  Oneida 
counties,  but  the  reports  of  Jedediah  Bushnell  and  other 
missionaries  record  them  quite  fully  in  relation  to  Ot- 
sego and  Delaware  counties.  "People  on  Otsego  Creek 
were  exceedingly  awakened.  The  work  soon  spread 
over  the  hills  between  the  Otsego  and  Susquehannah 
to  Hartwick  Settlement,  then  to  Metcalf  Hill,  and  soon 
after,  powerfully  to  Springfield,  and  considerably  into 
Worcester.  While  in  progress,  people  in  Delaware 
county  heard  of  it.  As  many  as  forty  were  hopefully 
converted  in  Delhi,  and  many  more  were  under  serious 
impressions,  and  some  of  the  neighboring  towns  were 
reached.  It  was  wonderful  to  see  the  display  of  divine 
power  in  this  county.  The  awakening  was  very  sol- 
emn and  regular — like  the  still,  small  voice  which  made 
the  prophet,  Elijah,  hide  his  face  in  his  mantle.  The 
truth  of  that  text  never  appeared  more  clear — "  Not  by 
might,  nor  by  power,  but  by  my  Spirit,  saith  the  Lord 
of  hosts."  While  the  work  was  increasing  at  Delhi,  it 
pleased  God  to  send  his  Holy  Spirit  into  the  town  of 
Franklin,  seventeen  miles  west,  where  David  Harrower 
preaches  one  half  his  time.  Soon  after  the  awakening 
in  Delhi  began,  it  appeared  in  Stamford,  ten  miles  north. 

The  religious  attention  in  Otsego  county  began  in  the 
hearts  of  God's  people  long  before  it  was  noticed  by  the 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  171 

public  eye.  At  length,  in  Union  Society,  at  the  head  of 
Otsego  Creek,  it  put  on  a  public  appearance,  not  great 
at  the  commencement,  but  one  was  awakened  here  and 
another  there,  in  almost  every  direction.  It  was  soon 
evident  that  God  had  set  up  his  kingdom  in  the  hearts 
of  men.  Public  assemblies  and  conferences  were 
crowded.  People  came  from  a  distance  of  eight,  ten 
and  fifteen  miles.  Missionaries  preached  to  four,  five, 
six  and  seven  hundred  hearers.  The  reading  of  a  text 
or  a  single  sentence,  produced  more  effect  than  labored 
discourses  at  other  times.  God  held  the  work  in  His 
own  hand.  Creatures  prayed,  and  some  used  the  fool- 
ishness of  preaching,  but  God  wrought  the  salvation. 

Soon  after  in  Metcalf  Settlement  the  work  began, 
and  at  the  same  time  in  Hartwick,  seven  miles  south- 
west. About  the  middle  of  June,  Springfield,  in  the 
northern  part  of  the  county,  began  to  share  in  it  The 
means  at  first  were  singular.  A  minister  was  invited  to 
administer  the  Lord's  Supper  and  deliver  the  prepara- 
tory lecture.  At  the  close  of  the  last,  he  asked  the 
church  members  to  tarry,  and  he  then  examined  them 
on  experimental  and  practical  religion.  They  were 
found  so  deficient  in  family  prayer,  the  religious  educa- 
tion of  their  children  and  other  duties,  that  the  minis- 
ter told  them  thai  he  could  not  administer  the  ordinance 
until  they  reformed  They  were  deeply  moved  &£os1 
were  in  tears,  and  before  they  Left  the  house,  they  con- 
ed their  sins  and  promised  to  reform.  From  that 
day  Zion  rose  from  the  dual  and  put  on  her  beautiful 
garments,  and  an  awakening  immediately  followed 

At  Worcester,  in  the  southeast  part  of  the  county,  a 
general    interest   was  manifested    in  July,  multitudes 


172  PRESBYTERIANISM  IN  THE 

flocking  to  hear  the  gospel.  Conviction  rose  high. 
Conversions  were  clear  and  genuine  as  anywhere,  and 
fifty-one  united  with  the  church.  Thirty-three  united 
with  the  church  at  Cooperstown,  the  capital  of  the 
county.  The  society,  large  and  wealthy,  was  organized 
last  summer  and  the  church  formed  by  Isaac  Lewis, 
since  installed." 

Mr.  Bushnell  adds:  "Took a  tour  down  the  Snsque- 
hannah  to  Tioga  Point :  then  up  the  Chenango ;  then 
through  Cayuga,  Onondaga  and  Oneida  counties. 
There  were  showers  of  grace  in  Milton,  Scipio,  Homer, 
and  in  numerous  settlements  in  Oneida,  especially 
Clinton,  Paris  and  the  Academy  at  Clinton."* 

*In  1788.  Rev.  Samuel  Eells,  of  Branford,  Ct.,  during  a  mis- 
sionary tour  in  this  region,  visited  Clinton  and  organized  a  "Half- 
way Covenant"  Society  there;  but  several  of  the  most  intelligent 
and  religious  people  of  the  town  declined  to  unite  with  it,  and 
some  of  the  seventeen  who  composed  it  became  dissatisfied  with 
it.  On  consultation  with  Rev.  Dan  Bradley,  of  New  Hartford,  Rev . 
Dr.  Jonathan  Edwards,  Jr.,  then  of  White  Haven,  Ct.,  and  soon 
after  President  of  Union  College,  was  invited  to  Clinton,  and  in  1791 
he  organized  a  church  there,  with  thirty  members,  of  the  usual 
Congregational  type.  The  confession  of  faith  and  covenant  then 
adopted  have  been  maintained  ever  since,  and  the  original  polity 
lasted  for  more  than  seventy  years.  Though  most  of  the  churches 
in  the  Association  to  which  it  belouged  united  with  Presbytery 
on  the  "accommodation  plan,"  this  kept  aloof  until  1864,  when  it 
came  in  fully  Presbyterian.  Extending  his  visit  to  Paris,  Dr. 
Edwards  organized  a  Congregational  Church  of  five  members  there. 
Served  by  able  ministers,  it  grew  into  large  dimensions  aud  rose 
to  prominence.  In  1818  it  became  Presbyterian,  aud  was  received 
to  the  care  of  Oneida  Presbytery.  Dissensions  about  ecclesiastical 
polity  subsequently  arose,  and  in  1821, on  the  petition  of  the  church, 
it  was  divided  into  two  parts,  one  Presbyterian  and  the  other  Con- 
gregational, and  in  1822  the  latter  was  dismissed  to  the  Oneida 
Association.     In  1823  the  two  churches  at  their  request  were  re- 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  173 

"  These  awakenings  were  regular  and  free  from  enthu- 
siasm. Persons  at  the  beginning  under  deep  conviction, 
were  solemn  and  eager  to  hear  the  word.  Their  coun- 
tenances were  full  of  meaning,  denoting  that  something 
of  importance  lay  with  great  weight  on  their  minds. 
As  their  convictions  increased,  they  complained  of 
stubbornness  of  heart  and  of  their  helpless  state  by 
nature.  They  had  previously  found  fault  with  the 
divine  sovereignty,  but  bowing  to  it,  they  joyfully  em- 
braced it  as  the-  one  great  source  of  consolation.  Jesus 
and  the  Bible  were  their  great  themes.  Not  only  did 
they  improve  fast  in  the  plain  points  of  divinity,  but 
they  made  astonishing  progress  in  the  great  doctrines  of 
the  gospel.  Not  disposed  to  vaunt,  the}'  modestly 
heard  rather  than  dictated.  The  preaching  was  plain,, 
dwelling  on  experimental  religion,  and  the  great  doc- 
trines of  sovereign  grace,  such  as  repentance,  faith,  the 
necessity  of  the  new  birth,  and  other  plain  and  leading 
doctrines  of  the  gospel,  while  it  also  enforced  Christian 
morals  as  the  only  visible  evidence  of  a  gracious  state." 

The  General  Assembly  in  1802  Bpoke  of  "the  most 
pleasing  intelligence"'  as  having  been  brought  "from 
the  East,  from   the  West,  from    the    North    and    the 

united  and  admitted  to  the  Oneida  Presbytery.     In  the  same  yew 

the  refusal  of  the  church  CO  dismiss  a    family  residing  within  its 
bounds  to  the  church  in  .Ww  Hartford,  which  dismission  Wi 
sired  because  the  family  preferred  a  Presbyterian  Church 
complained  of  to  Presbytery,  which  at  first  declined  to  advise  the 
church  to  grant  the  letter, and  afterwards  rescinded  tin-  v.'tc  and 

gave  the  advice,  and    then    repeated   it,  and    finally  dismissed    the 

whole  subject,  and  in  L820the  chinch  was  again  transferred  to 
the  Oneida  Association. 


1 74  PRESB  YTERIANISM  IN  THE 

South,"  and  in  1803  it  stated  that  "there  was  scarcely 
a  Presbytery  under  its  care  from  which  most  pleasing 
intelligence  had  not  been  announced,"  and  that  from 
some  of  them  communications  had  been  made  "which 
illustriously  displayed  the  triumphs  of  evangelical  truth 
and  the  power  of  sovereign  grace,"  and  that  in  most  of 
the  eastern  and  northern  Presbyteries  revivals  had  pre- 
vailed, but  free  from  "bodily  agitations  or  extraordi- 
nary affections."  It  is  reasonable  to  presume  that  this 
region  shared  in  the  wide-spread  blessings  of  those  }~ears, 
but  no  record  of  them  has  been  found. 

The  Presbytery  of  Oneida  reported  in  1805  that  there 
had  "been  a  considerable  outpouring  of  the  Spirit  in 
Sherburne  and  DeRuyter,"  and  that  "in  many  of  its 
congregations  a  solemn  attendance  on  the  institutions 
of  religion  was  given,  and  that  small  additions  were 
made  to  its  churches."  The  revival  in  Sherburne  con- 
tinued for  three  successive  years,  under  the  ministry  of 
the  Rev.  Roger  Adams. 

In  1806-7  converts  began  to  multiply  in  the  village 
of  Homer,  under  the  ministry  of  Rev.  Nathan  B.  Dar- 
row,  and  in  the  course  of  six  years  ninety-five  were 
added  to  the  church.  During  the  same  period  "an 
awakening  took  place  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  town 
of  Pompey,  under  the  preaching  of  Mr.  Rawson,  a  can- 
didate for  the  gospel  ministry.  There  was  also  some 
attention  in  a  society  about  fourteen  miles  west,  in 
Marcellus  Eel,  (now  probably  Otisco,)  and  about  twenty 
are  hopefully  the  subjects  of  renewing  grace.  The 
reformation  began  while  they  had  no  pastor.  In  the 
time  of  the  awakening  a  Mr.  Colton,  of  West  Hartford, 
Ct,  came  there  and  preached  a  few  weeks,  and  I  (Rev. 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  175 

H.  Wallis)  preached  six  sermons  at  two  visits  which  I 
made  there.  These  reformations  have  been  attended 
with  no  unusual  noise  or  tumult,  but  with  solemnity 
and  decency.  Those  who  have  been  hopefully  regen- 
erated, have  been  made  sensible  of  their  opposition  of 
heart  to  God  and  divine  things,  and  have  been  gener- 
ally brought  to  have  clear  views  of  God's  character  and 
of  their  own  vileness  in  sinning  against  a  holy  God. 
They  express  a  disposition  to  justify  him  should  he 
cast  them  off  forever." 

Rev.  Dirck  C.  Lansing  says  in  his  semi-centennial  dis- 
course :  "I  was  settled  in  1807  over  a  church  which  I 
had  myself  collected  in  the  autumn  of  1806,  from  what 
was  then  an  almost  entire  wilderness  in  the  town  of 
Onondaga  and  towns  adjacent.  Never  was  I  happier 
than  when  I  used  to  skip  like  a  deer  through  the  wood, 
from  one  small  farm  opening  to  another,  to  inquire  if 
there  was  any  one  in  that  bark  covered  log  house  who 
loved  the  Lord  Jesus.  Over  a  territory  that  would 
age  more  than  six  miles  square,  I  collected  thirty- 
five  persons  who  had  been  professors  of  religion,  and 
had  them  organized  into  a  church  of  Christ.  My  ordin- 
ation day  was  one  of  the  most  solemn  of  my  life. 
Never  was  I  more  profoundly  penetrated  with  a  » 
of  the  divine  presence  and  the  weight  of  my  responsi- 
bility. I  now  began  to  labor  with  unwonted  ear 
.  urging  all  men.  everywhere,  to  repent.  G 
3ed  to  bless  my  efforts,  and  Boon  the  ohuroh  became 
two  bands,  not  through  strife,  but  by  mutual, brotherly 
arrangement  for  the  common  good  I  remained  with  the 
easl  branch,  when  ©ted  what  was  then  the  finest 

church  edifice  west  of  Albany  countv I  and  not  !"<■ 


176  PRESB  TTER1ANISM  IN  THE 

ting  that  literature  was  the  handmaid  of  religion,  I  en- 
gaged in  the  enterprise  of  establishing  a  high  school  of  a 
superior  order,  and  succeeded  in  procuring  the  means 
for  the  erection  of  a  substantial  stone  edifice,  costing 
upwards  of  $5,000,  and  $10,000  additional  as  a  perma- 
nent fund.  While  these  things  were  being  done,  the 
means  for  building  the  spiritual  house  was  not  neglected. 
God  accompanied  the  word  preached  b  j  the  power  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  and  a  large  proportion  of  the  most  prosper- 
ous and  influential  families  of  the  place  were  hopefully 
converted  and  made  a  public  profession  of  their  faith  in 
Christ."  Twenty  members  were  added  to  the  Onondaga 
church  in  that  year. 

There  is  no  known  record  of  a  revival  within  the  ter- 
ritory of  the  Synod  during  1808,  save  in  the  then  newly 
organized  church  at  Coventry,  Chenango  county,  which 
received  an  accession  of  twenty -four  to  its  membership, 
and  at  Verona,  where  it  is  described  as  having  been 
"  deeply  interesting,"  and  at  Eome,  where  it  added 
twenty-five  to  the  list  of  communicants ;  but  there  is 
reason  to  believe  that  other  places  were  graciously 
refreshed. 

A  special  reason  for  the  frequent  mention  of  the  or- 
derliness of  the  revivals  here,  during  the  first  ten  years 
of  the  century,  and  of  the  Calvinistic  type  of  the  preach- 
ing, was  not  so  much  the  1740  extravagancies  in  New 
England,  or  the  Kentucky  extravagancies  and  errors  in 
1 800,  as  the  extravagancies  of  Methodism,  then  common 
here,  reports  of  which  were  likely  to  give  repute  abroad 
to  the  operations  of  grace  in  our  own  churches.  Meth- 
od ism  had  not  then  passed  out  of  its  early  crudities  and 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  177 

excesses,  examples  of  which  are  noted  in  the  Rev.  John 
Taylor's  journal  of  his  missionary  tour  through  this  re- 
gion in  1802.  They  acted  as  checks  and  cautions  to 
Presbyterianism  and  Congregationalism,  and  so  saved 
them  from  the  looseness  of  doctrines  and  the  uncouth - 
ness  of  measures  to  which  a  new  community  is  liable. 
and  made  our  early  churches  and  ministers  the  best  of 
progenitors. 

1809-1819. 

The  next  decade,  after  the  first  year,  began  its  course 
almost  as  auspiciously  as  its  immediate  predecessor.  The 
General  Assembly  in  1810  states:  "  In  the  western  parts 
of  the  State  of  New  York,  particularly  in  the  newly  set- 
tled regions,  the  progress  of  religion  has  been  great 
That  desert  buds  and  blossoms  as  the  rose,  and  promises 
under  the  auspices  of  grace,  to  become  as  the  garden  of 
the  Lord."  Sherburne  received  another  special  blessing, 
and  thirty  or  forty  were  added  to  the  church,  of  which 
Rev.  Abner  Benedict  was  then  pastor.  "  Up  to  this 
year,  the  church  at  Windsor  received  few  additions,  and 
a  considerable  proportion  of  these  by  letter;  but  in 
1810-11,  under  the  faithful  and  earnest  ministrations 
of  Rev.  Messrs.  Joel  T.  Benedict  and  David  Harrower, 
a  precious  season  of  refreshing  was  enjoyed  The 
Spirit  of  the  Lord  attended  their  labors  and  niaiii t - 
his  converting  presence  in  the  hearts  of  man  v.     M« 

for  preaching,  exhortation  and  prayerwere  frequent 
forse^  era!  months,  and  it  was  supposed  thai  fifty  or  sixty 
were  brought  into  the  kingdom  of  Christ11 

The  narrative  of  the  Presbytery  of  Oneida  in  1812, 
relate-:     "Thedivine  g Iness  and  mercy  manifested 


178  PRESBYTER1AN1SM  IN  THE 

towards  the  churches  and  congregations  under  our  care 
during  the  last  year,  afford  ground  of  joy  and  gratitude 
to  the  people  of  (rod.  Though  no  general  outpourings 
of  the  Spirit  of  God  have  been  experienced,  yet  it  is 
with  great  satisfaction,  Presbytery  have  observed  a 
special  attention  to  religion  in  several  congregations, 
particularly  in  those  of  Cherry  Valley  and  Cooperstown. 
In  the  former,  a  considerable  number  appear  to  have 
been  hojDefully  converted  and  joyfully  to  have  united 
with  the  church.  Keligious  meetings  are  attended  in 
several  parts  of  the  town  and  are  very  solemn.  In  Coop- 
erstown, an  unusual  seriousness  prevails, especially  among 
the  youth.  A  number  of  them  have  forsaken  the  van- 
ities of  the  world  and  are  animated  with  the  love  of  the 
Saviour.  Considerable  addition  has  been  made  to  the 
church,  and  of  such  as  give  lively  evidence  of  their 
zeal  and  attachment  to  the  gospel." 

The  Presbytery,  however,  complains  of  the  war  with 
Great  Britain  as  having  an  "  evil  effect.  People's  minds 
are  turned  away  from  the  one  thing  needful."  During 
the  same  year,  copious  influences  of  the  Spirit  descended 
on  Homer,  Preble,  Pompey,  German,  Otisco,  Virgil  and 
Skeneatelas — one  hundred  and  sixty  new  members 
being  received  by  the  church  at  Homer. 

In  1813,  Coventry,  Onondaga,  Utica,  Vrhitesboro, 
Litchfield  and  Homer  and  Pompey  again  were  eminently 
blessed. 

The  Presbytery  of  Oneida  in  1814  said:  "On  some 
of  our  congregations  God  has  been  shedding  down  his 
gracious  Spirit  during  the  past  year.  Especially  in  the 
congregations  of  Utica,  Whitesboro  and  Litchfield  have 
many  been  brought  into  the  fold  of  Christ,  and  there 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW    YORK.  179 

are  pleasing  appearances  in  other  congregations,  espe- 
cially among  the  youth."'  Ninety-eight  were  gathered 
at  that  time  into  the  First  Church,  Utica,  a  remarkable 
number  considering  the  population  of  the  town  thenr 
which  was  only  1,700,  and  those  distributed  among 
three  congregations.  Referring  to  the  revival  in  "Whites- 
boro  and  Utica,  the  Synod  of  Albany  says:  :,Xor 
is  it  an  uninteresting  circumstance  that  among  the 
happy  subjects  of  the  work,  a  considerable  number  is 
found  belonging  to  the  higher  classes  of  society."  The 
General  Assembly  of  that  year  spoke  of  "  scenes  resem- 
bling those  of  Pentecost "  as  having  been  enacted  in  On- 
ondaga and  other  Presbyteries,  and  mentioned  Pompey 
and  Homer  as  "  eminently  favored  with  the  effusions 
of  mercy."  "At  Manliufl  sixteen  were  added  to  the 
church  in  a  few  weeks,  and  what  is  remarkable,  the 
work  commenced  among  the  most  profligate  class  of 
people,  some  of  whom  now  exhibit  hopeful  evidence  of 
a  work  of  grace  in  their  hearts." 

It  is  worthy  of  note  that  the  membership  of  our 
ehurch  throughout  the  United  States  increased  from 
about  28,000  to  34,624  between  1810  and  1814.  being 
nearly  twenty-five  per  cent. 

Not  only  was  the  northern  section  of  the  territory  of 
the  Synod  later  in  settlement  than  the  rest,  but  the  war 
of  1812  was  very  disastrous  to  it.     "Situated  as  onr 
churches  were,"  Bays  a  manuscript  history  of  the  P 
bytery  of  Si  Lawrence,  "on  the  boundary  line  betv 
Canada  and  the  United  States,  the  morals  o 
exposed  to  the  corrupting  influence  of  the 
and  what  is  v  »f  dishonesty  produced  by 


180  PRESBYTER1AN1SM  IN  THE 

a  temptation  to  illegal  commerce  with  the  enemy.  The 
war  was  unfavorable,  too,  in  its  influence  upon  the 
pecuniary  interests  of  the  country.  It  brought  in  a 
surplus  for  a  season,  invited  our  citizens  to  speculation 
and  ruined  many  financially.  All  this  was  an  evil  to 
religion,  which  is  felt  in  some  degree  to  the  present 
time."  That  region  also  suffered  long  from  the  want 
of  means  of  grace.  A  minister  who  visited  it  in  1816, 
relates :  "  To  the  north  as  far  as  the  St.  Lawrence  and  east 
to  Champlain,  there  are  probably  not  six  gospel  minis- 
ters,— an  extent  of  country  including  the  quarter  of  the 
State  of  New  York,  with  a  population  of  seventy  or 
eighty  thousand  souls,  sitting  comparatively  in  a  state 
of  darkness  and  death.  Western,  Lee,  Florence,  Cam- 
den, Ellisburg,  Eichland,  Eotterdam  and  Oswego,  some 
of  them  "populous  towns,"  and  "all  of  them  able  to 
support  the  gospel,"  were  wholly  destitute  of  the  ordi- 
nances of  the  sanctuary.  And  a  little  later,  a  mission- 
ary writes,  "We  could  not  hear  of  any  minister  in  St. 
Lawrence  county,  and  there  are  very  few  on  the  Black 
Eiver."  For  a  population  in  the  whole  region  of  100,- 
000,  he  estimated  but  ten  or  twelve  regularly  ordained 
ministers.  But  that  destitute  region  was  not  altogether 
passed  by  in  the  work  of  the  Spirit,  and  in  1815,  twenty- 
three  united  with  the  then  small  church  of  Lowville. 

In  1815,  the  Presbytery  of  Oneida  recorded  that 
more  than  usual  attention  had  been  given  to  the  preach- 
ing of  the  Word, — that  more  than  an  hundred  persons 
had  been  added  to  the  communion  of  the  churches,  and 
that  the  happy  effects  of  the  revival  in  Utica,  which 
had  been  extensive,  were  still  visible,  and  that  in 
several  other  congregations  more  than  ordinary  solemn- 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  181 

ity  prevailed."  In  the  same  year,  also,  "the  blessing  of 
God  rested  on  his  people  in  Rome  in  a  greatly  increased 
measure.  One  of  the  persons  included  among  the  fruits 
of  that  revival  thinks  it  resembled  in  no  small  degree 
the  great  revival  of  1825-6  ;  the  beginning  of  it  seems 
to  have  been  in  a  prayer  meeting  established  in  the 
autumn  of  181-1,  at  a  school  house,  where  much  fervent 
prayer  was  offered.  The  religious  interest  was  general, 
and  extended  to  other  congregations ;  sixty-six  were 
received  on  profession,  among  them  some  of  the  most 
influential  men  of  the  place,  and  not  a  few  who  have 
since  been  pillars  of  the  church.  About  forty  of  the 
converts  were  heads  of  families.'1 

1816-17  were  notably  years  of  God's  power  and 
grace  throughout  the  bounds  of  the  Synod.  The  re- 
ports of  the  General  Assembly  make  mention  of  the 
work  in  Oneida  and  Onondaga  Presbyteries.  The  Syn<  k  I 
of  Albany  in  1817,  states,  "The  aspect  of  religious 
things  is  encouraging  in  the  new  Presby tery of  St  Law- 
rence. A  great  desire  to  listen  to  the  gospel's  joyful 
sound  is  manifested  New  societies  have  been  formed  in 
favorable  circumstances.  In  the  town  of  Champion 
there  has  been  an  extensive  revival  and  multitudes 
have  joined  themselves  to  the  people  of  the  Lord." 
Thirty  joined  the  church  in  Rutland  The  Presbytery 
of  Oneida,  in  1817,  relates  thai  in  Vernon,  NVu  Hart- 
ford and  Whitesboro  considerable  additions  have  been 
made  to  the  churches,*  and  within  the  bouudarii 

*  In  thla  year  ■  midsummer  revival  occurred  at  Bauquoit, 
ot  a  series  oi  revivals  there  during  the  pastorate  <>f  ia-v   Publius 
V.  Bogus  from  the  dose  ol  1814  to  the  close  of  i v 

n 


182  PRESBYTERIAN  ISM  IN  THE 

the  congregation  of  Cooperstown,  a  work  of  divine 
grace  has  recently  commenced  and  promises  a  harvest 
to  the  kingdom  of  the  Eedeemer."  Preston,  Truxton, 
De  Kuyter,  Fabius,  Otisco,  Eldridge,  Cazenovia,  Smith- 
field,  Manlius,  Onondaga,  Pompey  Hill,  Sherburne, 
Smyrna,  Columbus,  Homer,  Norwich,  Lisle,  Berkshire, 
Bingbamton  and  Coventry,  were  most  mercifully  visited. 
The  Kev.  Dr.  John  Brown,  pastor  of  the  church  in  Caz- 
enovia, wrote  June,  1816:  "About  the  middle  of  De- 
cember last,  God  was  pleased  to  pour  out  his  Spirit  in 
no  inconsiderable  degree.  The  first  appearance  of  an 
awakening  was  a  few  minutes  after  the  close  of  a  prayer 
meeting  and  conference.  A  certain  female  mentioned 
to  some  of  her  companions  the  alarming  condition  in 
which  she  viewed  herself.  A  divine  influence  seemed 
to  seize  nearly  all  who  were  present.  The  next  evening 
I  preached  in  that  neighborhood,  and  it  was  as  solemn 
a  season  as  I  ever  witnessed.  Numbers  were  soon 
awakened  in  different  parts  of  the  society,  About  fifty 
have  been  added  to  the  church  since  the  attention  com- 
menced, and  some  now  stand  propounded  for  admission 
to  it,  and  some  more  are  to  be  propounded  next  Sab- 
bath. Children  have  been  sharers  in  the  work,  and 
seven  or  eight  have  been  added  to  our  church  under 
the  age  of  fourteen.  There  are  a  number  of  others,  and 
one  about  seven  years  of  age,  entertaining  hopes  of  a 
saving  change,  and  apparently  on  good  ground.  Some 
are  now  under  awakening  influence. "  The  revival  in 
Sherburne  commenced  in  April  and  spread  with  won- 
derful rapidity  into  almost  every  part  of  the  town. 
More  than  two  hundred  joined  the  two  churches  there 
and  the  church  at  Smyrna.     The  institutions  of  reli- 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  183 

gion  were  not  established  in  Norwich  until  1814,  and 
the  Sabbath  was  the  most  worldly  and  vicious  day  of 
the  week.  " About  the  middle  of  December,  1816,  the 
Spirit  of  God  moved  on  the  hearts  of  the  members  of 
the  church,  and  by  the  close  of  the  year  there  was  scarcely 
a  thoughtless  mind  in  the  whole  village.  More  than 
an  hundred  professed  hope  in  Christ  All  classes  were 
subjects  of  the  work, — the  old  and  the  young,  the  rich 
and  the  poor,  the  learned  and  the  ignorant,  the  lawyer, 
the  farmer,  the  mechanic,  all  alike  bowed  to  the  scepter 
of  Immanuel,  and  more  than  sixty  united  with  the 
church  in  June."  The  revival  in  Homer  is  described 
as  "powerful," — "a wonderful  outpouring  of  the  Spirit" 
The  Synod  reported  "  about  one  hundred  and  fifty-rive 
convert.-."  and  seventy-five  were  received  to  the  church 
in  February. 

The  Narrative  of  religion  by  the  Presbytery  of  Oneida 
in  ls18,  remarks:  "The  congregations  of  Verona,  Ver- 
non. Cherry  Valley  and  Norwich  have,  in  a  good 
degree,  experienced  the  outpouring  of  the  Spirit,  and 

dderable additions  have  been  made  to  thechurcl 
And  the  Narrative  of  religion  by  the  Synod  of  Albany 
the  same  year,  remarks:  "The  increased  attention  to 

religion  which  existed  in  some  of  our  c  'ions  has 

tlv   subsided,   but   has    been    followed    by   none   of 

tip.-.-  melancholy  consequences  which  are  the  effect  of 

spurious  and  Ealse  revivals  of  religion,     The  profession 

which  was  B0  promptly  made  in  the  moment  of   tender- 
ness and  ardor,  has  b1 1  the  test  of  time  and  has  eon- 
tinned  to  prove  its  heavenly  origin  by  fruits  of  holii 
And  in  the  meanwhile  some  other  congregations  have 


184  PRESBYTERIANISM  IN  TEE 

received  proofs  of  the  divine  favor,  which,  if  not  so  bril- 
liant and  imposing,  are  still  worthy  of  the  most  grateful 
recognition.  Among  the  churches  most  distinguished 
in  this  respect  are  those  of  Vernon  and  Verona  in  the 
Presbytery  of  Oneida.  The  first  of  those  has  had  more 
than  eighty,  and  the  second  more  than  one  hundred 
members  added  within  the  year."* 

1819-1829. 

The  third  decade  of  the  century  includes  seasons  of 
the  outpouring  of  the  Spirit  on  the  field  of  the  Synod, 
surpassing  all  former  precedent  here.  The  last  half  of 
the  period  is  especially  noted  for  its  scenes  and  actors, 
and  the  feelings  and  dissensions  they  occasioned.  The 
limit  of  this  sketch  does  not  admit  of  more  than  an 
outline  of  them.  They  are  the  fitting  subject  of  a 
monograph  which  lays  no  limitation  of  space  on  the 
writer. 

The  beginning  of  the  period  happily  presaged  what 
followed.  In  1819,  the  Synod  of  Albany  says:  "The 
Presbytery  of  Oneida  exhibits  at  the  present  a  spectacle 
which  has  occasioned  the  public  praises  of  this  body. 
The  Great  Head  of  the  Church  and  the  Surety  of  the 
Covenant  has  appeared  in  his  power  and  glory  to  many 
of  its  churches.  The  Spirit  lias  been  largely  poured 
out  in  Utica,  Whitesboro,  Westmoreland,  New  Hart- 
ford and  Cooperstown.     In  the  first  of  these  places  they 

*  "  The  First  Presbyterian  Church  of  Biughanitoii  was  preceded 
by  the  prayers  and  tears  of  a  few  godly  people  for  twenty  years. 
Fifty-five  years  ago  (1818)  it  commenced  its  career  with  a  revival." 
Rev.  D.  D.  Gregory. 


SYNOD  OF  VENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  185 

number  one  hundred  hopeful  conversions ;  in  the  sec- 
ond, sixty  or  seventy,  and  the  work  increases ;  in  the 
third,  thirty  or  forty,  and  the  kingdom  of  heaven  still 
surfers  violence,  and  many  are  pressing  into  it;  in  the 
fourth,  twenty.  The  influence  yet  extends,  to  the  con- 
fusion of  heresy  and  opposition,  and  in  the  last  men- 
tioned place  the  prospect  for  several  years  has  not  been 
so  favorable  as  at  the  present  moment.  Bridgewater 
was  visited  during  the  last  winter  in  an  extraordinary 
manner  by  the  Holy  Spirit.  The  result  was  an  acces- 
sion to  the  people  of  God  of  eighty  souls.  In  Yernon 
and  Verona,  which  were  visited  with  a  revival  last  year, 
the  work  has  subsided,  but  the  blessed  fruits  remain  as 
a  pledge  of  the  providence  and  care,  as  well  as  grace 
and  goodness  of  the  great  Eedeemer  and  Bishop  of 
souls.  The  probable  addition  made  to  the  churches 
in  the  Presbytery  within  a  few  months  amounts  to  three 
hundred  and  forty. 

"  At  Ogdensburg  and  Brown ville  commodious  build- 
ings are  erected  for  divine  worship,  and  churches  are 
founded  and  supplied  with  pastors.  The  cry  is  loud 
from  that  quarter — '  The  harvest  is  great,  but  the  labor- 
ers are  few ;  pray  ye  the  Lord  of  the  harvest  to  thrust 
forth  laborers  into  those  fields."' 

The  church  at  Adams,  in  Jefferson  county,  reported 
an  increase  of  sixty-live  on  examination  during  that 
year. 

The  Oneida  Presbytery  says,  earlier  the  same  pear: 
"The  revival  wnioh  had  commenced  in  the  congregation 
of  Verona,  before  the  last  report,  has  been  continued, 
and  more  than  one  hundred  have  been  added  to  the 


186  PRESB  YTERIANISH  IN  THE 

church.  The  congregation  of  Mount  Vernon  has  been 
favored  with  a  very  pleasing  revival,  and  seventy-six 
have  been  added  to  the  church,  and  a  number  more  en- 
tertain the  hope  that  they  have  passed  from  death  unto 
life.  Seventeen  have  been  added  also  to  the  church 
in  Yernon.  A  powerful  revival  began  in  Bridgewater 
in  October  last,  and  is  still  in  progress.  There  are  en- 
couraging appearances  at  Cooperstown.  One  or  two 
instances  of  very  interesting  conversion  have  recently 
occured,  and  attention  to  the  ordinances  of  the  gospel 
has  become  much  greater  than  usual."  A  revival,  orig- 
inating in  a  district  school,  kept  by  a  devoted  Christian 
young  lady,  it  should  likewise  be  recorded,  was  enjoyed 
by  the  church  in  Borne,  and  twenty-three  members  are 
reported  as  received  during  the  year.  The  statistical 
table  of  the  Oneida  Presbytery  for  this  year,  gives  the  fol- 
lowing as  the  larger  additions  to  its  several  churches : 
65  to  Whitesboro,  83  to  Bridgewater,  63  to  New  Hart- 
ford, 31  to  Westmoreland,  23  to  Borne,  99  to  Utica 
The  Onondaga  Presbytery  says:  "In  Smithfield  a 
special  work  of  divine  grace  has  commenced  of  late. 
The  serious  attention  has  extended  into  different  parts 
of  the  congregation,  and  a  considerable  number  have 
already  given  hopeful  evidence  of  conversion.  The 
Presbytery  had  the  pleasure  of  witnessing  the  admis- 
sion of  about  twenty  communicants — the  fruits,  in  part, 
of  the  revival  thus  far."  Sherburne,  Smyrna  and  the 
neighboring  towns,  Homer,  Truxton,  Coventry.  Newark 
Valley,  Onondaga  and  Marcellus  are  also  to  be  named 
as  distinguished  by  the  visits  of  the  Spirit,  some  of 
them  in  a  marked  measure  and  manner  during  this  year 
and  extending  into  the  next. 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  187 

At  its  first  session,  October,  1819,  the  Presbytery  of 
Otsego  relates:  "In  this  day  of  great  grace  to  the 
churches  in  this  section  of  the  country,  this  newly  formed 
Presbytery  has  experienced  special  tokens  of  the  divine 
favor.  Most  of  the  congregations  within  our  bounds 
have  had  the  peculiar  manifestations  of  the  grace  of  God. 
At  Cooperstown  there  has  been,  during  the  last  autumn 
and  this  winter,  an  unusual  religious  excitement.  Per- 
sons of  all  classes  and  ages  have  been  the  subjects  of  it 
In  many  instances,  convictions  have  been  pungent.  A 
deep  sense  of  the  total  depravity  of  the  heart  and  the 
need  of  the  grace  of  Christ  to  renew  the  heart  have  been 
felt  in  a  greater  or  less  degree.  There  have  been  added 
to  the  church,  during  the  past  year,  one  hundred  and 
seven  persons,  most  of  whom  were  the  subjects  of  the 
late  work,  while  others  entertain  the  hope  of  having 
passed  from  death  unto  life,  who  have  not  yet  united 
with  the  church.  Cherry  Valley  has  also  been  visited 
with  the  outpouring  of  the  Spirit,  and  fifty  have  been 
received  to  the  church,  and  several  others  indulge 
hope.  (In  the  annual  statistical  report  of  the  church, 
one  hundred  and  seventy-four  are  stated  to  have  been 
added  to  it  during  the  entire  pear  on  examination.) 
Millford,  likewise  has  been  refreshed  by  droppings  from 
ili«-  cloud  of  mercy,  and  twelve  have  been  admitted  to 

the  communi f  the  church.     In  Sherburne  a  very 

general  awakening  and  reformation  have  occurred 
I V  >n\  ictions  were  Bhorl  in  many  instances,  bul  sharp  and 
distressing.  A  deep  sense  of  sin  as  against  holinessand 
G-od,  the  baseness  and  ingratitude  of  neglecting  Christ, 
the  folly  of  loving  the  world  and  of  forgetting  the  soul, 
have  been  some  of  the  exercises  of  the  anxious.    There 


188  PRESBTTERIANISM  IN  THE 

has  been  a  degree  of  engagedness  on  the  part  of  God's 
people,  who  have  visited  much  from  house  to  house  for 
conversation  and  prayer,  and  a  peculiar  spirit  of  prayer 
and  a  deep  feeling  for  sinners;  ninety-two  have  united 
with  the  church  and  many  more  entertain  hope." 

The  General  Assembly  speaks  of  1820,  as  a  year  of 
"general  revivals,"  "characterized  by  deep  and  solemn 
stillness,  insatiable  thirst  for  social  religious  excuses, 
pungent  and  humbling  convictions  of  sin,  a  spirit  of 
importunate  and  persevering  prayer,  ardent  concern  for 
others  and  a  general  zeal  for  the  cause  of  truth  and  the 
interests  of  religion.  The  blessing  has  fallen  on  persons 
of  all  ages  and  conditions.  Advocates  of  error,  as  well 
as  slaves  of  vice,  have  felt  its  power  and  demonstrated 
its  effects."  "  These  glorious  displays  of  grace  and 
power  had,  for  the  most  part,  the  general  impress  of 
Jehovah's  work.  Their  beginnings  were  small  and  in- 
significant. An  obscure  prayer  meeting,  thinly  attended 
by  some  of  the  humblest  and  poorest  of  God's  people, 
or  a  small  country  school  house,  were  often  chosen  as 
the  scene  of  their  first  appearance,  while  in  other  cases, 
meetings  of  parents  and  baptized  children  were  the  oc- 
casions for  pouring  out  blessings  on  both.  In  some 
churches,  days  of  fasting  and  prayer  for  revival  have 
been  offered,  with  many  instances  of  evident  answers 
from  on  high."  The  Assembly  reports  fifty  students 
of  Hamilton  College  "  religiously  impressed,"  and  names 
Onondaga,  Otsego,  and  Oneida  among  the  favored  Pres- 
byteries (to  which  St.  Lawrence  may  be  added),  and 
Homer,  Truxton,  Smithfield,  Virgil,  Preble,  DeEuyter, 
Lenox,  Cazenovia,  Skaneateles,  Elbridge,  Mount  Ver- 
non, Union  (Sauquoit),  Westmoreland,  Verona,  Utica, 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  189 

Holland  Patent,  Trenton,  Litchfield.  New  Hartford, 
Cherry  Valley,  Cooperstown  and  Spring-field  among  the 
favored  churches,  and  to  these  should  be  added  Lorain, 
Watertown,  Brownsville,  Ogdensburg  and  Sackets 
Harbor,  by  the  last  of  which  seventy  new  converts 
were  received,  and  Rome,  to  which  twenty-three  were 
added,  among  them  Albert  Barnes.  As  the  result  of 
the  revivals  in  Onondaga  Presbytery,  37  were  added  to 
Onondaga  second,  20  to  first  German,  27  to  Preble,  26 
to  Camillus,  25  to  Manlius  third,  51  to  Cazenovia,  and 
smaller  numbers  to  several  others ;  and  in  Oneida  Pres- 
bytery, Mount  Vernon  received  36,  "Westmoreland  28, 
Vernon  15,  Utica  25.  Holland  Patent  37,  Trenton  17, 
Litchfield  29,  and  New  Hartford  between  60  and  70. 
7,186  were  taken  into  all  our  churches  throughout  the 
land 

In  1821,  the  Synod  of  Albany  speaks  of  "the  happy 
fruits  of  former  revivals  remaining  in  Oneida  Presbytery, 
and  of  pleasing  indications  of  the  Spirit  still  in  several 
of  its  congregations,  particularly  Whitesboro  and  Hol- 
land Patent, and  in  Norwich  and  Winfield,  the  last  two 
being  on  its  territory,  but  not  in  its  connection.  Gen- 
eral meetings  of  neighboring  minister-  and  congrega- 
gations    for   special    prayer    for   the   outpouring  of   the 

Spirit,  have  been  established  in  different  parts  of  the 
Presbytery  and  attended  with  good  effect"  One  hun- 
dred and  thirty  were  said  to  have  been  hopefully  i 
verted  in  Winfield,  a  rural  town,  and  mention  is  made 
of  students  from  Hamilton  and  Union  colleges  as  active 
in  the  work. 

"  The  congregations  of  Cherry  Valley  and  Springfield 
in  Otsego  Presbytery/'  the  Synod  of  Albany  proa 


190  PRESBYTER1AMSM  IN  THE 

to  say,  "have  been  remarkably  blessed,  one  hundred 
and  fifty  having  been  added  to  the  church  in  Cherry 
Valley  and  one  hundred  to  that  of  Springfield.  (The 
Presbytery  reports  one  hundred  and  fifty  converts  in 
Springfield,  and  a  goodly  number  asking  what  they 
shall  do  to  be  saved.)  In  a  part  of  the  congregation 
of  Cooperstown  there  has  been  a  pleasing  revival, 
attended  with  some  interesting  circumstances." 

In  the  Presbytery  of  St.  Lawrence,  "the  congrega- 
tion of  Watertown  has  enjoyed  a  special  season  of  re- 
freshing, (ninety-three  were  added  to  the  church,)  and 
appearances  are  encouraging  in  other  congregations."* 

*  Later  in  the  year  the  Presbytery  of  St.  Lawrence  mentions 
Sackets  Harbor,  Adams,  first  and  second,  Lorraine  and  Rodman,  as 
"  experiencing  refreshings  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord,"  as  well 
as  Watertown;  and  the  Utica  Christian  Repository  adds  to  those, 
New  Haven  and  Henderson,  and  states  that  52  were  received  to 
the  church  in  Rodman,  while  as  many  more  were  indulging  hope 
there;  44  to  one  of  the  churches  in  Adams,  and  50  more  indulged 
hope,  and  that  there  were  60  or  70  converts  in  the  second  society 
of  Adams,  and  70  or  80  in  Henderson,  and  that  in  most  of  the 
towns  in  that  part  of  the  State  there  is  unusual  attention  to  reli- 
gion. There  were  supposed  to  be  from  800  to  1,000  converts  in 
Jefferson  county. 

Mr.  Jedediah  Burchard  was  then  a  resident  of  Sackets  Harbor, 
and  held  lay  services  in  the  neighborhood  and  also  at  Adams, 
and  Mr.  Charles  G.  Finney,  then  prosecuting  his  studies  for  the 
ministry  under  Rev.  Geo.  W.  Gale  and  Rev.  George  S.  Boardman, 
D.  D.,  a  committee  appointed  by  the  Presbytery,  actively  engaged 
in  the  same  school-house  labors.  The  first  recognized  appearance 
of  the  general  revival  was  under  the  preaching  of  Rev.  Thomas 
McAuley,  D.D.,  then  Professor  in  Union  College,  during  the 
meeting  of  the  Synod  of  Albany  at  Brownville.  The  open  begin- 
ningof  the  revival  at  Watertown  occurred  a  few  months  after 
the  settlement  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  George  Smith  Boardman  there, 
and  was  continued  altogether  under  the  labors  of  the  then  young 


;^~- 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  191 

The  Presbytery  of  Onondaga  mentions  revivals  in 
Otisco  where  thirty-four  were  added  ro  the  church  and 
twenty  more  were  hopeful  converts,  and  in  Onondaga, 

pastor.  Born  in  Albany  1796,  graduated  at  Union  College  in 
1816,  and  at  Princeton  Theological  Seminary  in  1819,  and  licensed 
by  the  Albany  Presbytery  the  same  year,  Dr.  Boardman  spent  the 
six  months  immediately  following  at  Madison,  Indiana,  under  a 
commission  from  the  Gen.  As.  Board  of  Domestic  Missions,  and 
six  months  after  that,  as  stated  supply  at  Westerlo,  N.  Y.  Or- 
dained by  the  Presbytery  of  St.  Lawrence  and  installed  as  pastor 
at  Watertown  in  1821,  he  maintained  the  charge  with  faithful- 
ness, ability  and  success  for  sixteen  years,  and  left,  under  the  con- 
straint of  duty  alone,  for  a  field  promising  greater  usefulness  as 
he  supposed,  and  against  the  remonstrances  of  his  people,  and 
with  the  reluctant  consent  of  the  Presbytery,  "after  a  full  and 
tender  discussion,  in  which  the  deepest  regrets  were  unanimously 
expressed  at  his  removal."  Going  to  what  is  now  the  "Central 
Church,"  Rochester,  in  1837,  and  remaining  there  until  1842,  he 
served  the  Second  Church,  Rome,  as  stated  supply,  from  1843  to 
1847,  and  performing  a  brief  pastorate  at  Cherry  Valley,  in  1850, 
he  took  charge  of  the  church  at  Cazenovia  and  continued  in  it 
until  1865.  Impaired  health  has  since  compelled  him  to  decline 
the  responsibilities  of  a  pastorship,  but  his  active  labors  have 
been  unremitted,  and  while  answering  calls  for  single  services  in 
numerous  places,  he  has  performed  them  for  several  months  con- 
tinuously, at  Rome,  Ogdensburg  and  Little  Falls,  N.  Y.,  and  Chat- 
tanooga, Tenn.,  and  for  several  weeks  in  the  Island  of  Bermuda, 
and  in  Rome,  Naples,  Leghorn  and  Florence,  Italy. 

It  is  an  affecting  illustration  of  the  transitoriness  of  ministerial 
life,  that  Drs.  Boardman,  Brace  and  James  P.  Boyd  alone  survive 
of  the  original  members  of  tlic  Synod  of  Utica,  1829, — and  only 
Dr.  Boiinlinan,  of  twenty-five  of  St,  Lawrence  Presbytery  u  iv.'">. 
— only  Drs.  Boardman  and  Boyd  of  Watertown  Presbytery  In 
1829, — only  Drs.  Aiken  and  Brace,  of  forty-four  in  Oneida  Presby- 
ter>  in  1825,— none  of  thirteen,  <»f  Ogdensborg  Presbytery  In  L829> 
and  none  of  twelve,  in  Oswego  Presbytery.  Drs.  Boardmaa  and 
Cox  are  believed  to  be  the  only  survivors  of  Qen,  As.  of  L823,  and 
Drs,  Boardman,  Cos  and  Bnodgrass,  of  the  Qen.  As.  of  1829. 


192  PRESBTTERIANISM  IN  THE 

to  which  seventy-six  had  been  added,  while  eighteen  or 
twenty  more  were  "  propounded,"  and  forty  or  fifty 
more  indulged  hope. 

And  the  General  Assembly  remarks : 

It  is  also  gratifying  to  learn  that  God  still  blesses  with  the 
influences  of  his  Spirit  several  of  our  colleges.  Hamilton  College 
has  about  one  hundred  students,  a  majority  of  whom  are  pious. 
Union  College  has  about  two  hundred  and  forty  students,  and  of 
these  about  seventy  are  hopefully  pious. 

The  principal  means  of  promoting  these  revivals  are 
described  by  the  Assembly  as  special  prayer,  days  of 
fasting  and  prayer,  concert  in  prayer  by  individuals, 
sunrise  meetings,  preaching  the  Word,  expounding  the 
spirituality  of  the  law  and  the  tremendous  curse  de- 
nounced on  sin,  inability  to  work  out  righteousness, 
and  immediate  repentance  and  faith. 

In  1822,  the  Synod  of  Albany  relates  "that  four  hun- 
dred had  united  that  year  with  the  churches  in  Oneida 
Presbytery,  and  that  in  Adams,  Ellisburg  and  Eedfield, 
in  St.  Lawrence  Presbytery,  there  have  been  encour- 
aging revivals  of  religion."  Sixty-two  were  admitted 
to  christian  fellowship  at  Adams,  twenty  at  Eutland, 
and  twenty  at  Brownville.  "In  the  congregation  of 
Madrid,  in  Ogdensburg  Presbytery,  eighty  have,  in 
the  judgment  of  charity,  been  made  the  subjects  of 
renewing  grace.'' 

The  Presbytery  of  Onondaga  speaks  of  Granby,  Os- 
wego, Lysander,  Harrison  and  Virgil  as  having  enjoyed 
unusual  religious  interest 

The  Presbytery  of  Oneida  says :  "  In  the  congrega- 
i  ions  of  Uticay  Paris  and  Skenandoah  there  has  been 
the  effusion  of  the  Spirit,  the  display  of  divine  grace, 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  193 

and  the  ingathering  of  souls  into  the  kingdom  of 
Christ" 

The  Presbytery  of  Otsego  mentions  interesting  dis- 
plays of  mercy  and  might  in  Butternuts  and  Bowman's 
Creek,  and  favorable  appearances  in  Cherry  Valley, 
Madison,  Norwich,  Exeter  and  Eaton. 

The  missionaries  of  the  "Female  Missionary  Society 
of  the  Western  District.''  in  the  Sixth  Eeport  of  that 
Society  give  interesting  details  of  the  work  of  grace  in 
Northern  New  York  during  this  and  the  preceding- 
year  : 

"You  have  been  informed,"  Rev.  John  Alexander  writes,  "of 
the  remarkable  revival  in  Redfield, — remarkable  because  few  vis- 
ible means  of  grace  have  been  employed.  Perhaps  for  two  years 
previously  the  people  had  not  enjoyed  two  Sabbaths'  preaching 
by  Presbyterian  ministers.  Prayer  meetings  had  been  neglected. 
Zion  was  a  desolation.  A  few,  however,  were  pressed  in  spirit 
for  perishing  souls,  and  with  many  prayers  and  tears  they  wres- 
tled with  the  Angel  of  the  Covenant  and  prevailed.  About  sixty 
are  rejoicing  with  trembling.  All  are  constrained  to  acknowledge 
the  sovereignty  of  grace.  I  have  spared  no  pains  to  enlighten 
them  in  the  doctrines  and  duties  of  Christianity,  to  distinguish 
true  from  false  religion,  and  to  feed  the  tender  lambs  with  the 
sincere  milk  of  the  word." 

Rev.  Adams  W.  Piatt  writ 

While  engaged  on   the    mission,  I  preached   frequently  in  I 
ciety  in  the  north  part  of   the  town  of    Adams.      This  society  had 

been  without  the  preached  Word  for  a  considerable  time,  and  re- 
ligion had  eery  mnch  declined.  <>m-  or  two  of  the  memben  of 
the  church  became  rery  much  alarmed  at  the  coldness  and  .stu- 
pidity about  them,  and  concluded  to  establish  conference  and 
prayer  meetings,  and  it  pleased  the  Lord  to  bless  them  The 
work  wa>  very  powerful  in  the  neighborhood  when-  it  commenced, 
and  extended  more  «>r  lest  through  the  sodetj  generally,  Per- 
sons of  almost  all  aget  were  the  subjects  of  it,  but  more  especially 

the   youth.     Though    UO   particular   exertions  were    made   among 
U 


194  PRESBYTERIAN1SM  IN  THE 

the  children,  it  was  soon  discovered  that  many  of  them  were 
deeply  affected,  and  twenty  or  thirty  between  ten  and  sixteen 
years  old,  give  good  evidence  of  a  saving  change.  One  of  the 
little  girls,  eleven  years  of  age,  soon  after  sickened  and  died. 
But  death  had  no  terrors  for  her.  Her  dignified  composure  of 
mind  and  her  expressions  of  joy  to  the  last  were  truly  remarkable. 
Her  conversation  with  those  who  visited  her,  was  far  beyond  her 
age.  This  instance  of  the  trial  of  their  faith,  stopped  the  mouths 
of  many  who  supposed  that  children  were  moved  by  sympathy 
alone.  Some  of  the  children  were  taken  into  the  church,  but 
most  of  them  were  put  under  its  watch  and  care  to  be  instructed 
in  the  principles  of  Christianity,  and  will  be  received  after  a  time. 

The  Kev.  Henry  Smith,  a  native  of  New  Hampshire, 
of  the  class  of  1810  at  Bowdoin  College,  and  of  the 
class  of  1815  at  Andover  Seminary,  was  placed  at  Cam- 
den in  the  only  pastorate  he  held,  and  retained  it  from 
1817  to  1828,  when  death  removed  him,  at  the  early  age 
of  thirty-eight  years.  His  gifts  and  graces  formed  an 
admirable  and  beautiful  character.  His  "praise  in  the 
gospel  is  in  all  our  churches,"  and  his  name  is  still  a 
talisman  among  the  people  whom  he  served  most  suc- 
cessfully and  by  whom  he  was  almost  adored.  He 
went  to  a  church  of  one  hundred  members,  and  left  it 
with  more  than  six  hundred.  One  hundred  and  twenty- 
six  were  added  to  it  on  the  single  day  of  July  19,  1826. 
Extensive  revivals  attended  his  labors  in  1818,  '21,. '24, 
'25,  '26  and  '27.  At  the  time  to  which  we  have  been 
referring,  Mr.  Smith  was  laboring  in  Northern  New 
York  under  a  commission  from  the  Female  Missionary 
Society.     He  writes : 

In  the  north  part  of  Florence  a  religious  excitement  has  com- 
menced which  demonstrates,  as  in  a  thousand  other  cases,  the 
efficacy  of  prayer.  A  pious  female  was  pressed  in  spirit  for  the 
salvation  of  a  neighbor.     Such  was  her  distress  that  her  health 


•    ' 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW    YORK.  195 

was  affected.  Crowns  and  empires,  she  remarked  to  me,  seemed 
nothing  in  comparison  with  the  soul.  As  these  exercises  were 
peculiar  and  she  was  fearful  of  delusion,  she  asked  my  opinion  of 
them.  Perceiving  on  inquiry  that  they  were  accompanied  with  a 
deep  sense  of  the  evil  of  sin,  with  humility,  faith,  love  to  God 
and  to  souls  and  much  prayer,  I  did  not  discourage  them, wishing 
in  my  heart  that  thousands  of  splendid  professors  who  talk  well 
about  the  difference  between  right  and  wrong  religious  affections 
had  more  experience.  The  subject  of  her  prayers,  a  man  of 
deistical  sentiments  and  no  ordinary  talents,  was  pungently  con- 
victed. Nearly  whole  nights  were  spent  by  him  in  prayer.  He 
had  such  a  view  of  the  justice  of  God,  that  he  saw  no  way  in 
which  he  could  pardon  him,  or  any  one  else,  at  the  same  time 
resigning  himself  most  serenely  to  the  disposal  of  this  attribute, 
full  of  gratitude  that  he  had  been  brought  to  believe  the  divine 
Revelation  and  submit  to  the  government  of  its  Author.  After 
some  weeks  the  mysteries  of  the  cross  opened  to  his  view,  and 
the  problem  once  so  difficult  how  God  "  could  be  just  and  the 
justifier  of  him  who  believeth  in  Jesus,"  was  experimentally 
solved.     He  has  since  been  instrumental  in  much  good. 

Seven  miles  distant  attended  the  funeral  of  a  youth.  The  reli- 
gious attention  of  the  neighborhood  was  arrested  by  this  provi- 
dence. At  one  of  my  stated  lectures,  the  audience  was  moved  to 
loud  weeping.  After  the  service  I  held  an  inquiry  meeting,  and 
found  a  general  seriousness.  Several  heads  of  families  met  in 
the  evening,  and  with  much  feeling  confessed  their  faults  to  each 
other,  and  resolved  to  devote  themselves  anew  to  the  Redeemer's 
service.  In  consequence  of  this  resolution  reading  meetings  were 
established  on  the  Sabbath,  as  also  meetings  for  inquiry  and 
prayer.  Several  profess  a  hope  in  Christ,  and  a  street  previously 
addicted  to  Sabbath-breaking,  profanity  and  neglect  of  religion, 
has  now  become  a  place  of  anxiety  for  salvation. 

Northeast  <>f  this,  in  the  town  of  Florence,  is  a  little  branch  of 
Zion.  Here  I  examined  candidates  for  the  church,  preached,  bap- 
tized believers  and  their  offspring,  and  dispensed  the  Lord's  Sup- 
per.   My  feelings  are  alwayi  peculiar  when  1  visit  this  spot.     It 

is  about  three   miles   square,  In  the    bosom    « > f  a  wide  wild.  • 

divided  into  well  cultivated  farms,  beautifully  diversified  by  hills 

and  valleys,  with  ■  population   of  twenty   or  thirty   families.      A 


196  PRESB  YTER1AN1SM  IN  THE 

neat  little  edifice,  in  the  midst  of  a  grove,  answers  for  the  place  of 
worship,  and  the  solitude  and  retirement  of  the  spot,  the  simplic- 
ity and  devotion  of  the  audience,  the  sacred  song,  blended  with 
the  notes  of  the  feathered  tribes  without,  in  praise  to  the  Uni- 
versal Parent,  awaken  pleasing  sensations  in  the  visitor.  The 
imagination  loves  to  dwell  upon  the  influence  which  these  early 
habits  will  exert  in  other  generations,  when  these  stately  foresfce 
shall  yield  to  the  hand  of  culture,  and  their  place  is  occupied  by 
a  dense  and  pious  population.  At  present  there  are  praying 
persons  in  almost  every  house.  Attended  the  funeral  of  a  vener- 
able man,  about  96  years  old,  a  relative  of  the  distinguished  Dr. 
Bellamy.  His  great  anxiety  had  been  to  see  a  church  organized 
and  to  commemorate  once  more  the  death  of  Christ,  and  having 
been  gratified  in  both,  he  could  say,  with  aged  Simeon  :  "Lord, 
now  lettest  thou  thy  servant  depart  in  peace." 

After  an  absence  of  nearly  five  years,  crossed  the  Oswego 
river  and  revisited  the  Oswego  Church,  which  I  assisted  in  organ- 
izing at  that  time.  Its  members  had  increased.  Having  delivered 
a  preparatory  lecture  on  Saturday,  passed  an  interesting  Sabbath 
in  preaching  and  dispensing  the  Lord's  Supper.  The  house  was 
crowded,  and  the  occasion,  I  believe,  refreshing  to  members.  The 
hospitality  with  which  I  was  received  showed  that  time  had  not 
abated  the  affection  of  the  people. 

A  diversity  of  taste  respecting  candidates  has  been  the  binder- 
ance  to  the  settlement  of  a  minister  here.  Most  sincerely  do  I 
wish  that  a  place  so  commanding  in  its  position  and  destined  to 
become  the  emporium  of  the  adjacent  country,  might  enjoy  the 
services  of  a  liberally  educated  and  evangelical  pastor.  Several 
men  of  wealth  in  this  part  would  do  much  towards  it. 

Having  received  a  pressing  invitation  from  Rev.  Q.  Gale,  of 
Adams,  to  "  come  over  and  help,"  I  ventured  to  spend  a  few 
days  in  a  place  so  favored  of  the  Lord.  Delivered  two  lectures, 
attended  a  numerous  meeting  of  inquiry  and  a  Sabbath  School,  be- 
sides spending  the  Sabbath  and  visiting  families.  Perhaps  one  hun- 
dred were  rejoicing  in  hope.  Many  of  the  first  respectability  in 
this  pleasant  village,  including  gentlemen  of  the  bar  and  one 
from  the  bench,  had  been  taught  to  call  Christ  Lord  by  the  Holy 
Ghost,  and  gloried  in  the  Cross.  Commencing  in  this  town,  this 
work  of  grace  extended  over  a  large  part  of  Jefferson  County. 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  TORE.  197 

From  eight  hundred  to  one  thousand  may  be  numbered  among  its 
subjects. 

At  Redfield  I  have  made  several  visits.  The  triumphs  of  the 
Prince  of  Peace  have  been  glorious  here.  For  years  the  place  had 
suffered  a  famine  both  of  the  Word  and  Spirit.  The  male  mem- 
bers of  the  church  were  reduced  to  four,  and  only  one  was  active 
in  meetings.  Missionaries  seemed  to  forget  the  isolated  place. 
As  1  approached  it,  embosomed  in  the  wilderness,  I  was  struck 
with  awe.  Neglected  as  it  had  been  by  Christians,  it  had  the 
wakeful  regard  of  God.  A  cloud  of  mercy  had  gathered  over  it, 
and  methought  "how  dreadful  is  this  place.  It  is  none  other 
than  the  House  of  God,  and  this  is  the  gate  of  heaven."  Im- 
ploring the  wisdom  and  grace  so  indispensable  to  a  preacher  in 
such  a  scene,  I  ventured  upon  it.  After  lecturing,  visiting  and 
holding  meetings  of  inquiry,  I  was  convinced  that  God  was  here 
in  the  glory  of  his  sovereignty  and  the  sweetness  of  his  mercy. 
The  work  began  on  the  manifesting  of  his  convictions  at  a  Sab- 
bath meeting,  by  a  lad  of  sixteen.  A  prayer  meeting  was  ap- 
pointed soon  after,  at  which  about  twenty  expressed  anxiety  for 
themselves.  In  a  few  weeks  sixty  were  hoping  in  a  settlement  of 
forty-five  families. 

Early  in  1823,  the  Oneida  Presbytery  reports  :  "  In 
the  small  congregation  at  Herkimer  there  is  a  revival 
of  religion,  and  a  goodly  number  are  the  hopeful  sub- 
jects of  divine  grace,  and  at  Little  Falls  there  is  an  in- 
creased attention  t<»  the  things  of  religion  ;"  and,  after- 
wards, referring  to  the  whole  year,  th*'  Presbytery  fur- 
ther reports  revivals  of  religion  in  Augusta,  Skenandoa 
and  Oneida.  "  In  the  former  place  more  than  one  hun- 
dred, and  in  tin.'  two  latter  twenty  and  thirty  have  given 
hopeful  evidence  of  having  passed  from  death  unto  life 
In  some  other  congregations  there  have  been  precious 
tokens  of  the  divine  presence,  and  .-mall  numbers  have 
been  gathered  into  the  Kingdom  of  Christ"  Twenty- 
one  were  added  to  the  church   in  Rome  and  twenty 


198  PRESBTTERIANISM  IN  THE 

conversions  were  said  to  have  occurred  in  Hamilton 
College. 

The  Presbytery  of  Onondaga  reports  that  "it  has 
pleased  the  Head  of  the  Church  to  t  visit  two  of  the 
towns  in  our  territory — Lenox  and  Sullivan." 

The  Presbytery  of  St.  Lawrence  mentions  the  church 
in  Ellisburg  as  having  enjoyed  an  "outpouring  of  the 
Spirit  for  the  salvation  of  not  a  few,"  and  describes 
"the  moral  aspect  of  the  community  as  materially 
changed."  Sacketts  Harbor  was  graciously  favored 
again  and  welcomed  twenty-five  to  its  fellowship, 
"mostly  from  the  army  and  the  families  of  the  officers. " 

The  great  revivals  in  Central  and  Western  New 
York,  usually  dated  from  1825,  began  in  St.  Lawrence 
Presbytery  in  1824.  The  narrative  of  religion  by  the 
Presbytery  for  that  year  opens  in  jubilant  strains,  and 
then  makes  a  plain  recital  of  facts  : 

It  is  with  heartfelt  joy  and  gratitude  to  the  great  Head  of  the 
Church  that  they  present  to  the  public  the  following  statement  of 
the  goodness  and  mercy  of  God  to  the  churches  under  their  care 
during  the  past  year:  Verily  "  the  day-spring  from  on  high  hath 
visited  us,"  and  the  sun  of  righteousness  has  poured  upon  us  the 
light  and  glory  of  his  beams.  While  in  the  retrospect  of  other 
years  we  find  occasion  for  thanksgiving  and  praise  in  view  of  the 
visitations  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  we  may  say  of  the  past  year,  that 
it  has  been  a  sealing  time,  a  harvest  season,  a  day  of  preeminent 
favors.  In  places  where  the  prince  of  darkness  has  long  reigned 
and  over  which  impervious  clouds  have  cast  their  gloomy  shades, 
light  has  sprung  up.  Where  recently  were  heard  the  songs  of 
revelry  and  the  profanation  of  the  name  of  the  Lord,  we  hear 
the  songs  of  Zion  and  the  voice  of  adoration  and  worship. 

Gratefully  acknowledging  the  droppings  of  mercy  in  other 
places,  we  mention  the  following  as  particularly  refreshed:  Thirty- 
Beven  have  been  hopefully  converted   in   Orleans,  and   between 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  199 

twenty  and  thirty  in  the  neighborhood.  Prayer  for  individuals 
has  been  one  of  the  most  obvious  means  of  good  here.  More 
than  thirty  indulge  hope  in  Carthage  and  Wilna.  Leyden  has 
been  remarkably  blessed.  For  many  years  it  was  in  a  deplorable 
state.  The  Word  preached  was  apparently  only  a  "  savor  of 
death  unto  death,"  and  iniquity  abounded  in  its  most  destructive 
forms.  But  about  the  middle  of  April  a  shower  of  mercy  began 
to  fall.  But  Satan  was  not  easily  driven  from  his  stronghold- 
Many  rose  up  in  rebellion  and  showed  the  malignity  of  their 
hearts.  It  was  the  Lord's  work,  however,  and  vain  was  the  oppo- 
sition of  man.  About  two  hundred  submitted  to  the  Cross,  and 
four  times  as  many  attend  public  worship  and  preaching  as  ever 
before. 

The  condition  of  Denmark  was  formerly  sad,  and  several  cir- 
cumstances threatened  the  ruin  of  the  church;  but  God  came  to 
its  help  and  relief,  and  thirty  were  added  to  it  and  breaches 
healed  and  repaired  and  dangers  averted. 

Brownville,  too,  has  shared  in  the  outpouring  of  the  Spirit,  and 
about  forty  testify  to  his  renewing  power.  Hostility  to  the  work 
was  strong  and  untiring;  but  the  Lord  triumphed  and  stout  hearts 
bowed — many  of  them  cases  of  peculiar  interest. 

Martinsburg  is  now  in  the  midst  of  a  revival  numbering  already 
more  than  fifty  subjects. 

Cape  Vincent  has  shared  with  sister  churches  in  the  divine  in- 
fluences, and  under  them  more  than  twenty  have  been  brought 
into  happy  union  with  it.  Opposition  was  raised  here,  too,  but 
served  to  swell  the  number  of  hearers  and  to  lix  their  attention. 

A  minister  was  sent  in  Ma}'  to  Le  Kay  by  the  Female  Mission- 
ary Society  of  the  Western  District.  He  was  stoutly  withstood 
at  first,  but  the  Lord  wrought  with  him  and  through  him,  and 
soon  began  to  prevail.  Party  spirit  was  then  aroused  for  another 
encounter;  but,  wher.-ver  it  appeared,  prayer  laid  it.  Christians 
gathered  privately  here  and  there  to  plead  ■gainst  it  as  it  showed 

itself  iii  such  or  >uch  individuals,  and  BO  kept  it  down.    Nun. 
noticeable    instances    of  conversion    occurred.      Infidelity    shrank 

back  abashed,  and  heresy  yielded  to  the  truth.    At  leasl  eighty 

forsook  all  and  followed  Christ. 

The  minister  wh<»se  labors  wcr«-  so  much  prospered  in  Le  1  i : t y- 

extended  them   at   the    saint-   time    to    Antwerp   and     under    them 
thirty  were  brought  to  tin-  Saviour. 


200  PRESBYTER1AN1SM  IN  THE 

In  the  midst  of  summer,  and  during  the  violence  of  party  strife, 
the  Spirit  of  God  descended  on  Lowville,  and  more  than  two  hun- 
dred experienced  his  saving  power,  one  hundred  of  whom  united 
with  the  Presbyterian  Church  there,  fifty-three  of  the  number 
being,  or  having  been,  members  of  the  Sunday  School. 

The  Kev.  Charles  G.  Finney  began  his  ministry  this 
year,  being  commissioned  by  the  Female  Missionary 
Society  to  labor  in  Northern  New  York.  His  autobi- 
ography contains  quite  full  accounts  of  revivals  wholly 
or  partly  under  him  at  Evans  Mills.  Antwerp,  Brown- 
ville,  Le  Kaysville  and  Gouverneur.  Thus  early  in  his 
career,  that  remarkable  man  was  as  fully  disclosed  and 
his  remarkable  modes  of  procedure  as  fully  mapped 
out,  and  his  remarkable  success  as  fully  achieved  as  at 
its  culmination,  and  the  same  conflicting  sentiments  and 
surprises  agitate  us. 

The  church  at  Evans  Mills  not  being  under  the  care 
of  the  Presbytery  would  not,  of  course,  be  mentioned 
in  its  narrative,  but  Gouverneur  was,  and  yet  it  is  not 
named.  Mr.  Finney's  account  of  the  revival  in  both  is 
quite  minute,  and  he  says  of  Gouverneur:  "It  was  a 
large  farming  town,  settled  by  well-to-do  inhabitants. 
The  great  majority  of  them,  I  am  confident,  were  con- 
verted to  Christ  in  that  revival." 

The  work  of  grace  in  all  the  other  churches  of  the 
Presbytery  would  seem  to  have  been  conducted  under 
their  several  pastors,  and  no  measures  are  known  to 
have  been  employed  to  which  the  most  fastidious  would 
except.  The  statistical  reports  of  the  churches,  always 
imperfect,  record  as  added  on  examination,  95  to  Low- 
ville First;  16  to  Lowville  Second  ;  23  to  Martinslmrg; 
42  to  Leyden  First;  20  to  Ellisburg;  30  to  Denmark; 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  201 

30  to  Cape  Vincent;  35  to  Antwerp:  30  to  Le  Ray  : 
and  15  to  Orleans. 

Prior  to  any  general  and  public  manifestations  of  it, 
special  religious  interest  widely  pervaded  the  Presby- 
tery of  Oneida  in  1825-6.  It  was  evident  in  several 
churches  to  those  that  were  intimate  with  them.  Pro- 
fessing Christians  became  conscious  of  their  backslidings 
and  remissness,  a  sense  of  uneasiness  was  felt  by  them, 
a  concern  for  the  impenitent  was  awakened,  more  earn- 
est prayer  was  offered.  Increased  seriousness,  too, 
appeared  in  the  congregations,  and  numerous  individuals 
were  more  or  less  convicted  of  sin,  and  in  some  places 
conversions  occurred,  and  special  but  unobtrusive  means 
of  grace  were  employed.  Thus  we  are  told,  "  The  re- 
vival commenced  here  (Vernon  Centre)  in  August, 
1825."  There  were  some  Christians  in  Rome  who  had 
long  been  looking  and  praying  for  a  revival,  and  the 
preparedness  of  the  impenitent  mind  is  indicated  in  Mr. 
Finney's  account  of  the  work.    [Autobiography,  p.  160.] 

Rev.  Mr.  Frost  says  of  Whitesboro: 

On  the  following  Sabbath,  the  first  in  January,  182.0,  the  church 
rose  in  the  midst  of  the  congregation,  and  after  an  address  to 
them,  renewed  their  covenant  with  God  and  with  each  other.  A 
deep  solemnity  pervaded  both  the  church  and  the  congregation. 
Sinners  were  awakened.  A  revival  succeeded,  which  continued 
till  the  early  part  of  Hummer. 

Rev.  Mr.  Aiken  says  of  CJtica: 

Tin-  revival  OOmmenoed  about  the  lirst  of  last  January.  For 
M-v.-ral  weeks  previous,  however,  then-  had  been  a  movement 
upon  the  minds  of  the  people  that  could  he  seen  on  tin-  Sahhath 
and  on  other  da\  s  of  the  week.  To  this  silent  preparation  for  the 
Lord's  appearance,  |  new  impulse  was  BOOH  giYSD  DJ  the  daily 
reports  of  what  was  doing  at  Koine. 


..> 


202  PRESBTTERIANISM  IN  THE 

"  I  learned  from  Mr.  Aiken,"  says  Mr.  Finney,  "that  the  spirit  of 
prayer  was  already  manifest  in  his  congregation  and  in  the  city.  One 
of  his  principal  women  had  been  so  exercised  about  the  state  of 
the  church,  and  of  the  ungodly,  that  she  prayed  almost  incessantly 
for  two  days  and  nights,  and  when  her  own  strength  was  exhaust- 
ed, she  could  not  endure  the  burden  of  her  mind  unless  somebody 
was  engaged  in  prayer,  on  whose  prayer  she  could  lean." 

An  occasion  was  needed  to  bring  out  the  latent  feel- 
ing that  quite  extensively  prevailed  and  let  it  develop 
into  a  revival  of  religion.  Such  an  occasion  was  fur- 
nished by  a  visit  to  Westernville  made  very  unexpect- 
edly to  himself  by  the  Eev.  Mr.  Finney,  the  last  of 
September,  1825.  Attending  a  prayer  meeting  on  the 
afternoon  of  his  arrival,  such  an  impression  was  made 
that  he  consented  to  remain  over  Sunday,  and  the  still 
greater  impression  on  that  day,  induced  him  to  remain 
still  longer,  and  for  twelve  weeks  he  preached  there 
three  times  on  Sunday,  and  almost  every  evening  of 
the  week  in  different  parts  of  the  town,  and  called  dur- 
ing the  day  from  house  to  house  for  conversation  and 
prayer,  and  as  the  result  one  hundred  and  forty  were 
supposed  to  have  been  converted. 

One  of  Mr.  Finney's  district  meetings  was  held  at 
Wright's  Settlement,  and  that  was  the  beginning  of  a 
revival  at  Eome,  where  he  commenced  services  the  last 
of  December  and  kept  them  up  continuously  for  four 
weeks.  Says  Rev.  Dr.  Wm,  E.  Knox,  subsequently 
pastor  of  the  church : 

The  manifestation  of  the  Divine  Power  was  immediate  and  de- 
cisive. The  church  which,  during  the  greater  part  of  1825,  had 
been  in  a  state  of  more  than  usual  coldness,  was  quickened  to  new 
activity.  Unwonted  desires  for  the  salvation  of  God  were  felt  in 
the  hearts  of  Christians  generally,  and  prayer  offered  in  faith  and 
continued  with  an  importunity  that  could  not  be  resisted,  was 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  203 

everywhere  heard  in  the  dwellings  and  assemblies  of  the  righteous. 
Says  an  eyewitness:  "I  never  saw  such  wrestling  in  prayer  for 
sinners."  "It  was  easy  to  pray  then,"  says  one  who  shared  largely 
in  the  blessing,  "  and  self  was  put  away  from  many  hearts.  We 
asked  God  to  save  our  neighbors  and  friends.  As  guilty  sinners 
we  prayed  not  for  our  worthiness  and  desert,  for  we  had  none, 
but  for  Christ's  sake.  Many  an  agonizing  prayer  ascended  to 
him  in  sleepless  nights,  and  the  answer  often  came  quickly. 
Wherever  we  went  it  was  full  of  God.  It  truly  seemed  that  the 
air  we  breathed  was  God's  air,  and  the  earth  we  walked  upon 
God's  earth.  Eternity  seemed  just  at  hand,  and  I  think  that 
eternity  will  be  short  enough  to  tell  the  wonders  of  grace  then 
shown." 

The  whole  unconverted  population  appeared  to  be  suddenly 
awakened  to  the  concerns  of  their  souls.  The  place  of  worship 
was  thronged  by  an  eager  multitude.  Some  of  the  more  deter- 
mined among  the  irreligious  tried  hard  to  break  away  from  the 
sacred  influences  encompassing  them,  but  generally  without  suc- 
cess. It  was  not  uncommon  to  find  them  immediately  after  a  de- 
cided refusal  to  hear  the  preaching,  among  the  most  serious  list- 
eners. Some  who  shut  themselves  up  in  their  homes  away  from 
the  intrusion  of  praying  friends,  opened  them  with  an  invitation 
to  come  in  and  plead  for  them.  Others  who  were  glad  to  leave 
town  on  the  pretext  of  business,  came  back  with  their  impressions 
redoubled  and  ending  in  conversion.  Several  individuals  pa- 
through  the  town  were  arrested  by  the  voicesof  prayer  and  praise 
from  numerous  houses,  and  subsequently  turned  to  the  Lord. 
Christians  were  often  engaged  in  earnest  and  tearful  conversation 
with  the  Impenitent  At  their  offices  and  stores  and  shops,  and  in- 
quirers kneeled  with  them  by  the  counter  and  the  work-bench.* 
For  a  week  business  generally  was  laid  aside,  and  not  ■ 
among  the  first  in  position  and  Intelligence,  and  least  likely  to 
yield  to  a  merely  animal  and  superficial  excitement,  were  the 
most  powerfully  moved, 

*Rev.  Moses  Gillett,  pastor  of    the  church  at  thil    time,  writes: 

"  Worldly  business  was  t<>  ■  great  extent  ■uspended.  Religion 
was  the  principal  inbjectol  conversation  in  our  streets,  st 

and   even   taverns.      Many  of   the   ihopf   WOTS    olosod  at    evening 

that  all  might  attend  meeting^1 


204  PRESBYTERIANISM  IN  THE 

As  the  work  "  became  noised  abroad,"  numbers  came  in  from  the 
neighboring  towns,  to  whom  Christian  hospitality  was  freely  ex- 
tended. Parents  brought  their  families  with  them,  and  often  re- 
turned home  with  all  the  members  of  them  rejoicing  in  the  Lord. 
Ministers,  elders  and  prominent  laymen  nocked  in  from  abroad, 
and  bore  back  the  mighty  power  of  God  to  the  communities  where 
they  belonged  and  revivals  were  wrought  there. 

There  was  for  a  time  an  average  of  twenty  conversions  daily, 
and  three  or  four  hundred  occurred  in  the  course  of  eight  weeks, 
and  among  them  every  professional  man  in  the  town,  with  one  or 
two  exceptions,  and  eighty  of  the  teachers  and  scholars  in  the 
girls'  department  of  the  Sunday  School,*  and  the  whole  number  of 
conversions  was  computed  at  five  hundred.  Among  the  converts 
should  be  named  Rev.  Dr.  Thomas  Brainard.  On  the  12th  of  March, 
1826,  one  hundred  and  seventy-six  were  received  to  the  Presby- 
terian Church,  and  two  hundred  and  eighty-nine  by  the  close  of 
the  year.  The  examinations  by  the  session  were  careful,  and  it  is 
the  testimony  of  all  competent  to  judge  that  the  great  mass  of  the 
converts  stood  the  test  of  time;  and,  with  scarcely  an  exception, 
the  deceased  among  them,  died  in  Christian  fellowship  and  faith. 

Comparatively  little  was  known  in  this  revival  of  the  extra- 
ordinary "  measures"  subsequently  introduced  by  a  class  of  pro- 
fessed Evangelists.  Preeminently  was  reliance  placed  on  the 
grace  of  God,  in  connection  with  the  faithful  preaching  of  the 
Word  and  the  united  prayers  and  exertions  of  the  church." 


*  Mr.  Gillett  writes:  "  More  than  one  hundred  and  thirty  of  the 
attendants  at  the  Sabbath  Schools  are  hopeful  subjects  of  renew- 
ing grace.  Children  from  nine  to  twelve  years  of  age  give  evi- 
dence of  piety,  and  their  promptness  in  applying  passages  of 
Scripture  is  truly  striking.  Four  lawyers,  four  physicians,  all  the 
merchants  not  professing  Christians  before,  and  men  of  the  first 
respectability  in  the  place,  and  many  who  had  regularly  attended 
public  worship  for  twenty  years,  and  lived  through  revivals  un- 
moved, are  hopeful  converts.  During  the  greatest  excitement 
there  was  little  opposition.  Scoffers  were  confounded;  Universal- 
ists  trembled.  Some  renounced  their  sentiments  and  were  brought 
to  repentance.  During  the  following  spring  and  summer,  meetings 
were  held  every  evening,  and  for  eleven  months  there  has  been 
no  day  without  inquiry  by  anxious  sinners,  and  but  few  weeks 
without  instances  of  conversion.  Meetings  of  inquiry  are  con- 
tinued and  a  spirit  of  fervent  prayer  still  prevails." 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  205 

Says  Mr.  Gillett : 

There  was  such  wrestling  and  agony  in  prayer  as  we  had  never 
witnessed  before.  Christians  seemed  to  believe  both  the  prom- 
ises and  threatenings  of  God.  They  viewed  their  impenitent 
friends  as  standing  on  the  brink  of  hell,  where  nothing  bat  the 
mercy  of  God  could  save  them.  In  little  circles  intercession  was 
made  for  individuals  by  name,  and  striking  answers  appeared  to 
be  given.  Indeed,  the  great  instrument  in  this  glorious  work  has 
been  prayer.  The  Word  of  God  has  been  employed  in  sermons, 
short  addresses  at  prayer  meetings,  and  in  private  conversations. 
The  truths  presented  are  such  as  have  been  generally  termed  the 
doctrines  of  grace.  The  justice,  purity  and  binding  nature  of  the 
divine  law,  with  its  awful  penalty,  has  been  set  forth  with  great 
clearness.  The  sins  of  the  heart  have  been  shown,  not  merely  in 
transgressions,  but  in  the  rejection  of  mercy,  while  Christ  has  been 
held  up  as  the  only  and  all-sufficient  Saviour.  Repentance  and 
faith  have  been  urged  as  immediate  duties,  and  sinners  as  exposed, 
to  wrath  and  without  excuse,  for  failing  in  them.  Convictions,  have 
been  more  sudden  and  pungent  than  we  have  witnessed  in  previ- 
ous revivals.  Sinners  have  trembled  through  their  whole  frame 
under  them,  though  in  no  instance,  to  my  knowledge,  was  bodily 
strength  wholly  exhausted.  And  when  most  agitated  by  them, 
they  have  complained  of  unfeeling  hearts.  They  needed  not  to 
be  told  that  there  was  an  eternal  hell,  and  they  were  assured  that 
they  must  repent  or  perish,  that  they  mast  believe  in  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  or  be  damned,  and  that  their  impenitent  groam- 
tears  and  prayers  could  not  save  them.  Kvery  false  dependence 
was  torn  away  as  BOOO  M  possible.  Often  would  they  Bay,  "  We 
cannot  change  our  hearts,"  and  the  command  was  urged:  "Mak» 
you  a  new  heart  and  a  n»w  spirit,  for  irhy  will  ye  die. "  No  al- 
lowance was  given  t<>"  wait  Qod'fl  time."   They  irere  told:  "  Now 

is  the  accepted  time,  now  is  tin-  day  of  salvation" — that  the  longer 
they  continued  impenlinent,  the  greater  their  guilt  and  the  mOTS 
the  danger  of  being  hardened,  and  of  grieving  the  Spirit,  and  of 
dying  without  hope. 

Meetings  of   inquiry    have    been    a    powerful     means    of   i 
When  hundreds  have    attended,   there    would  he  a  deathlike    still- 
ness, with    great    solemnity    in    sJmOSl    e\  erv  countcnam  e        I  In  \ 
were  conversed  with  individually,  and  such  instruction  prai 
1* 


206  PRESBYTERIANISM  IN  THE 

as  the  several  cases  needed.  Often,  at  the  close  of  the  meetings, 
there  was  so  strong  a  desire  to  remain  that  it  was  necessary  to 
urge  the  attendants  away,  the  direction  being  pressed  upon  them 
to  give  their  hearts  to  God.  In  many  instances  the  anxious  have 
been  converted  while  praying,  and  often,  though  indulging  no 
hope  for  themselves,  they  would  pray  for  others  while  they  were 
praying  for  themselves.  But  light  usually  soon  broke  upon  them 
and  they  found  peace.  Young  converts  have  been  earnest  in 
prayer  for  others  and  often  active  in  their  conversion.  It  will  be 
doubtless  asked :  What  are  the  fruits  of  this  revival  ?  Three  or 
four  instances  of  backsliding  have  occurred.  One  has  been  sus- 
pended for  intemperance.  In  general,  however,  the  subjects  ap- 
pear as  well  as  in  previous  revivals  I  have  witnessed,  if  not  bet- 
ter. A  marked  reformation  of  morals  is  undeniable.  The  Sab- 
bath is  more  strictly  observed.  Intemperance  and  profane  swear- 
ing are  checked.  More  good  feeling  prevails  in  families  and 
neighborhoods.  The  church  is  blessed  with  harmony.  Chris- 
tians in  truth,  love  one  another. 

As  already  mentioned,  there  were  the  antecedents  of 
a  revival  of  religion  in  Utica  for  several  weeks  before 
any  open  demonstration  of  it.  The  daily  reports  of 
occurrences  at  Kome  revealed  its  beginning.  Says 
the  Kev.  Dr.  Samuel  Clark  Aiken,  Pastor  of  the  First 
Church : 

Christians  who  went  there  returned  with  various  feelings. 
Some  were  confounded  and  knew  not  what  to  say;  some  without 
hope  and  in  deepdistress  for  themselves;  others  weeping  over  the 
state  of  the  church  at  home  and  anxious  that  something  should 
be  done.  I  resolved  to  call  on  the  members  of  the  church,  and 
either  by  myself  or  the  elders,  most  of  them  were  visited.  It 
now  became  a  time  of  heart- searching.  Almost  daily,  persons 
who  had  long  professed  religion  and  maintained  a  respectable 
standing  in  the  church,  gave  up  their  hopes.  Soon  numbers  of 
the  impenitent  were  awakened;  but  most  of  them  lingered  long 
without  peace,  and  still  there  was  but  little  prayer  in  Zion — little 
of  the  power  of  prayer.  Christians  were  looking  to  arms  of  flesh 
instead  of  confiding  in  God,  and  merely  hoping  for  a  blessing  in- 


SYXOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  207 

stead  of  expecting  it.  This  state  of  things  continued  until  about 
the  first  of  February,  when  the  Rev.  Mr.  Finney  came  to  Utica; 
and  here,  as  in  other  places,  his  plain,  and  pungent,  and  faithful 
preaching  was  attended  with  evident  and  wonderful  success. 
Christians  had  been  told  of  their  departures  from  God,  their  back- 
slidings  in  heart,  their  lukewarmness,  their  love  of  the  world 
and  conformity  to  it,  and  of  the  necessity  of  a  broken  spirit,  of 
deep  and  thorough  repentance,  before  they  could  reasonably  ex- 
pect a  revival  of  religion.  These  solemn  truths  were  pressed 
again  and  again,  and  along  with  them  the  indispensableness  of 
the  Holy  Spirit  to  arouse  them  from  their  slumbers,  and  they 
were  urged  to  plead  for  him  as  promised  by  (iod,  and  as  sure  to 
be  given  to  those  who  sought  him  in  faith.  Humble  and  fervent 
prayer  gradually  increased,  and  as  it  increased,  convictions  and 
conversions  took  place  among  the  impenitent.  The  work  soon 
became  powerful.  Places  of  worship  were  thronged,  and  the 
stillness  of  the  sepulchre  reigned,  broken  occasionally  by  the  deep 
sigh  of  a  heart  writhing  under  the  condemnation  of  divine  truth. 
The  meetings,  instead  of  being  noisy  and  confused,  were  solemn — 
sometimes  awfully  solemn  from  the  presence  of  God,  which  made 
sinners  afraid  and  made  Christians  humble  and  still. 

The  general  features  of  the  revival  are  the  same  that  have 
marked  every  genuine  revival  since  the  apostolic  age.  I  need  not 
repeat  them,  but  merely  remark  that,  as  heretofore,  in  this  place, 
so  now,  the  Bweet,  .saving  influence  has  fallen  on  the  rich  and 
the  poor,  the  ignorant  and  learned,  and  moulded  into  the  divine 
image  the  proud  moralist  and  the  polluted  debauchee,  and  made 
new  creatures  of  gamblers,  and  drunkards,  and  swearers  and  Sab- 
bath breakers,  and  brought  the  self-righteous  Pharisee,  the  de- 
luded Deist  and  rniversalist,  to  abandon  their  dreams  of  happi- 
ness and  heaven  without  a  holy  heart,  and  to  flee  for  cleansing 
to  the  blood  of    the  Lamb. 

The  probable  number  of  converts  is  five  hundred — not  far  from 
sixty  of  them  penOM  who  "  turned  in  to  tarry  but  for  a  night,"  or 
ft  day  Off  Week.  More  than  one  hundred  have  united  with  the  First 
Church,  and  not  less  than  fifty  adults  more  in  the  congregation 
indulge  hope,  and  many  children,  from  WTOO  to  thirteen  years  of 
age,  give  evidence  o!  eonyereion,  but  milt,  by  the  advice  of  the 
session,  for  catechising,  and  until  further  trial  shall  determine  the 


208  PRESBYTER!  ANISM  IN  THE 

question  of  their  admission  to  the  church.  Nor  has  the  good 
work  ceased.  The  spirit  of  prayer  continues,  though  in  a  less  de- 
gree. Scarcely  a  week  has  passed  during  the  summer  without 
conversions,  and  these  number  twenty  during  the  last  six  weeks. 

It  would  be  strange  if  some  among  so  many,  are  not  deceived. 
As  yet,  however,  not  a  case  of  defection  has  come  to  my  knowl- 
edge, and  now,  after  the  lapse  of  eight  months,  it  may  be  said 
that  never  did  the  subjects  of  a  revival  appear  better. 

The  means  employed  are  the  same  that  were  employed  by 
Whitfield,  Edwards,  Brainerd  and  some  still  living,  whose  praise 
is  in  all  the  churches.  The  grand  means,  into  which  all  others 
are  resolved,  is  the  Word  of  God,  the  doctrines  of  salvation,  the 
depravity  of  the  heart,  consisting  not  merely  in  the  want  of  love 
to  God,  but  in  hatred  of  him;  the  law  of  God,  its  extent,  purity, 
perfection  and  binding  authority;  the  sovereignty  of  God,  enforc- 
ed not  so  much  by  abstract  reasoning,  but  by  matter  of  fact;  the 
nature  and  need  of  regeneration  by  the  Holy  Spirit  and  justifica- 
tion by  faith  alone;  and  those  truths  have  been  preached  con- 
stantly, both  in  the  pulpit  and  out  of  it.  Nor  have  we  failed  to 
urge  sinners  to  repent  and  submit  to  Jesus  Christ,  and  that  imme- 
diately, as  the  only  condition  of  forgiveness,  warniug  them  at  the 
same  time,  that  so  long  as  they  refused  to  comply,  all  their  tears 
and  prayers  and  efforts  were  not  only  vain,  but  sinful. 

We  have  visited  from  house  to  house,  conversed  freely  with 
individuals  and  fearlessly  declared  the  counsel  of  God  in  the 
street,  the  grocery,  the  counting-room  and  the  private  dwelling. 
We  have  also  had  various  circles  for  prayer,  as  well  as  stated  and 
public  prayer  meetings,  and  in  the  former,  females  in  some  cases, 
though  more  seldom  than  we  could  wish,  have  taken  a  part.  Sab- 
bath School  instruction  has  been  greatly  blessed  to  teachers  and 
scholars.  At  the  commencement  of  the  revival  there  was  a  Bible 
class  of  forty-two  youth  under  the  sole  direction  of  the  elders  of 
the  church,  and  most  of  them  indulge  Christian  hope.  The  num- 
ber has  increased  to  one  hundred,  and  the  Lord  is  still  blessing 
his  Word  to  the  salvation  of  souls.  The  Bible  is  a  precious  book 
to  them,  and  not  to  them  alone.  Never  in  the  same  space  of  time, 
I  am  confident,  was  it  so  much  read  in  Utica  as  during  the  last 
twelve  months.  Discipline,  meetings  of  inquiry,  days  of  fasting 
and  prayer  and  conference  meetings  for  the  church  have  likewise 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  209 

been  very  useful.  And  never  was  so  large  a  church  more  happily- 
united  than  in  this  revival,  and  so  it  yet  remains.  A  few  have 
differed  from  their  brethren  with  regard  to  the  propriety  of  some 
measures,  but  none  are  blind  to  the  mighty  hand  of  God  in  bowing 
down  rebel  sinners  on  every  side,  and  none  so  hardened  in  unbe- 
lief as  not  to  rejoice  in  it  and  adore  the  Lord  for  it,  and  the  con- 
gregation is  evidently  strengthened  and  built  up. 

Among  the  additions  to  the  First  Church  made  by 
this  revival,  was  a  very  large  number  of  those  who 
have  been  the  most  conspicuous  for  piety  and  useful- 
ness in  its  whole  history,  and  who  constituted  its  bone 
and  sinew  and  soul  in  their  day,  and  who  bequeathed 
to  it  much  of  the  strength  and  life  it  has  since  pos- 
sessed. 

The  Second  Church,  Utica,  was  then  in  its  early 
youth,  but  the  experience  of  its  pastor,  Rev.  Dr.  Sam- 
uel Williams  Brace,  gave  it  the  advantage  of  full  ma- 
turity. Under  his  labors,  and  without  aid  from  evan- 
gelists, the  blessing  of  God  descended  upon  the  people 
and  for  four  months  remained  with  them.  Fifty-two 
were  admitted  to  Christian  fellowship, — and  a  number 
more  were  examined  for  it  and  approved,  or  advised  to 
wait  for  a  time,  and  others  united  with  churches  at 
their  homes  elsewhere  About  eighty  were  reckoned 
in  this  company  of  converts,  not  one  of  whom 
known  to  have  turned  hack  to  the  world. 

Both  the  then  ministers  of  those  two  churches  ' 
mam  to  the  present,"  while  nearly  all  their  associates 

in    the    labors  of    that  day    have  "  fallen    asleep."       I 

pastors  have  taken  pari  bo  largely  ">  revival  work  and 
ha\  e  such  a  retrospect  of  iv\  \\  al  Of  So  itch- 

Irish   ancestry,  Dr.  Aiken  was    born  at   Windham.   \  t., 

graduated  in  L814  at  Middleburj  College,  and  m  1M7 


210  PRESB  TTERIA  NISM  IN  THE 

at  Andover  Theological  Seminary  licensed  by  the 
Londonderry  Presbytery  and  ordained  by  the  Oneida 
Presbytery.  Set  over  the  First  Presbyterian  Church, 
Utica,  February,  1819,  he  performed  an  exceedingly 
prosperous  and  noteworthy  pastorate  of  seventeen  years 
there.  Seven  or  eight  seasons  of  the  special  outpouring 
of  the  Spirit  occurred  in  the  course  of  it, — the  number 
of  communicants  was  much  increased,  and  among  them 
there  were  many  of  prominence  and  influence  in  the  com- 
munity, and  many  subsequently  of  eminent  usefulness 
andconspicuousness  as  members  of  this  particular  church, 
and  as  ministers  and  missionaries  in  the  church  at  large. 
Called  to  Cleveland,  he  has  been  no  less  blessed  and  no 
less  a  blessing  there.  Though  in  delicate  health  him- 
self, and  with  sickness  in  his  family,  he  maintained  his 
charge  successfully  until,  disabled  for  further  responsi- 
bility and  activity,  he  accepted  an  emeritus  relation  to  his 
people,  and  now  lives  among  them,  embodied  in  their 
reverence  and  gratitude  and  affection,  and  with  the 
high  and  warm  esteem  of  our  ministry  and  our  church, 
and  their  memory  of  his  protracted  and  valuable  ser- 
vices, and  though  with  the  infirmities  of  age  in  his 
outward  man,  with  his  inward  man  renewed  day  by 
day. 

Dr.  Brace  was  born  at  Kutland,  Vt,  in  1790,  but  re- 
moved in  1796  with  his  father's  family  to  Pompey,  and 
a  few  years  after  to  Lysander,  both  in  Onondaga  county. 
The  only  opportunity  for  schooling  he  enjoyed  in  early 
life,  was  during  two  winters  which  he  spent  with  friends 
at  Manlius,  but  even  then  he  formed  the  purpose  to 
enter  college.  In  1809,  he  walked  through  the  then 
comparative  wilderness  from  Oswego,  where  his  family 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  211 

was  at  that  time  residing,  to  the  Oneida  Academy  at 
Clinton,  one  hundred  miles  distant,  and  such  was  his 
progress  in  study  that  be  soon  rose  to  the  place  of  as- 
sistant teacher.  Supporting  himself  by  the  salary  he 
earned,  he  entered  a  Sophomore  two  years  after  at 
Hamilton  College,  and  took  his  baccalaureate  in  1815, 
with  the  first  class  that  completed  its  entire  course  there. 
Entering  Andover  Seminary  immediately  after,  and 
remaining  until  his  graduation  in  1818,  he  received 
license  to  preach,  and  laboring  a  few  weeks  in  a  revival 
at  what  is  now  the  city  of  Lowell,  Mass.,  and  declining 
an  invitation  to  visit  Londonderry,  N.  II.,  as  a  candi- 
date for  its  vacant  pulpit,  he  spent  seven  months  con- 
ducting an  extensive  revival  at  Bridgewater,  Oneida 
county,and  then  negativing  an  unanimous  and  urgent  call 
to  the  pastorate  in  that  place,  he  supplied  the  pulpit  at 
Geneva  during  Dr.  Axtell's  absence  on  account  of  ill 
health,  and  a  powerful  revival  followed  his  labors  there, 
too,  and  extended  to  the  town  of  Phelps,  where  he  set- 
tled in  1819,  and  remained  four  years,  new  members 
being  constantly  added  to  the  church  In  1824  he 
wecA    to    Utica   to   serve  ate.   pastor  with   Dr. 

Aiken,  but  was  induced  instead,  to  take  charge  of  the 
new  "  Bleecker  Street"  or  Second  Church  there.  In  a 
four  years  ministry  two  hundred  and  fifty  were  ad- 
mitted to  the  eoiniiiwiiioii  <,f  thisehureh.  and  declining 
a   call    to    EiMl    Hartford.  Ot,  which  was    repeated    after 

the  lapse  of  a  year,  Dr.  Brace  removed  to  Skaneateles, 

and  blessed  with   ei-jht  revivals    there  in    a  pastoratl 

sixteen  years,  hewenl  in  L848  to  the  Congregational 
('lunch  m  Bingham  ton,  and  three  years  after,  demitting 
the  responsibilities  of  a  parish,  and  retiring  to  a  pleasant 


212  PRESB  YTER1ANISM  IN  THE 

home  in  Utica,  he  went  forth  from  time  to  time,  and 
almost  continuously,  as  the  supply  of  numerous  congre- 
gations, in  many  of  which  his  previous  success  continued 
with  him,  and  as  an  agent,  largely  at  his  own  chargesT 
of  the  Bible  and  Colonization  Societies.  Eighteen 
special  revivals  of  religion  have  attended  his  ministry. 
Notwithstanding  his  engrossing  public  labors,  Dr. 
Brace  always  enjoyed  domestic  life  and  has  been  greatly 
favored  in  it.  Married  in  1819  to  Harriet  Kilbourn,  of 
New  Hartford,  the  daughter  of  a  valuable  elder  of  the 
church  there,  he  received  in  her  a  gift  from  the  Lord ; 
and  bereaved  of  her  nearly  forty  years  after,  it  was  his 
happiness  in  1 862,  to  marry  Martha  B.  Fish,  of  Troy, 
Ohio,  a  granddaughter  of  Eev.  Peter  B.  Fish,  the  first 
minister  at  Holland  Patent.  His  bodily  activities  have 
been  recently  stayed  by  a  slight  paralysis,  but  though 
hard  on  towards  fourscore  years  and  ten,  his  thoughts  are 
as  busy  as  in  his  days  of  vigorous  health,  while  as  he 
looks  upwards,  not  a  fleecy  cloud  specks  the  heaven 
above  him. 

Mr.  Finney  preached  occasionally  in  a  few  of  the  other 
churches  of  the  Presbytery,  but  though  nearly  or  quite 
all  of  them  had  "times  of  refreshing/'  they  passed  on, 
with  few  exceptions,  under  the  settled  ministry. 

The  Rev.  John  Barton  was  at  Vernon  Centre,  where 
not  far  from  one  hundred  and  sixty-four  professed  con- 
version, and  one  hundred  and  two  united  with  the 
Presbyterian  Church,  twenty-seven  of  them  being  heads 
of  families,  the  ages  of  the  converts  ranging  from  eight 
to  seventy,  several  of  whom  had  been  Uuiversalists  and 
two  Roman  Catholics,  and  but  one  of  the  whole  number 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  213 

was  known  to  have  backslidden.     The  opposition  here 
was  very  violent 

The  minister  was  threatened  with  horsewhipping.  The  active 
members  of  the  church  met  with  personal  abuse  and  the  worst  of 
Billingsgate,  some  of  the  assailants  being  peace  officers.  Fasting 
and  prayer,  the  plain  preaching  of  the  truth,  family  visitations 
and  inquiry  meetings  were  the  means  employed.  Care  was  taken 
to  have  the  services  in  well  seated  and  well  lighted  rooms,  and 
the  mode  of  them  was  varied  from  time  to  time.  Occasionally 
silent  prayer  for  two  or  three  minutes  was  offered, — but  the  most 
important  circumstance  was  an  humble  reliance  on  God,  undoubt- 
ing  faith  in  his  promises,  working  with  the  expectation  of  his  ac- 
companiment, feeling  at  the  same  time,  that  he  alone  can  change 
the  heart,  and  giving  him  all  the  glory. 

Born  at  Saybrook,  Ct,  1761,  a  graduate  of  Williams 
College  1809,  and  a  tutor  there  for  the  following  year, 
a  student  of  divinity  under  Dr.  David  Porter,  of  Catts- 
kill.  and  ceasing  to  live,  (for  such  was  his  death,)  at 
eighty-four  years  of  age,  Calvin  Bushnell,  for  eighteen 
years  pastor  at  Mount  Vernon,*  was  an  able  preacher, 
an  untiring  pastor,  a  thoroughly  furnished  minister, 
whose  labors  contributed  to  several  remarkable  revr 
a  Christian  of  rare  consecration  t<>  the  Saviour,  an 
'lent  man  of  clear  and  strong  convictions,  and  by 
his  character  and  life,  his  conscientiousness  and  intelli- 
gence and  wisdom  an  authority  in  the  community  and 
in  the  church.     He  relates: 

'111*-  revival  commenced  among  my  people  about  the  middle  of 

November,     It  was  gradual,  and  did  not  become  general  till  the 

part  of  December.     The  number  of  hopeful  convert!  is 

about  one  hundred  and   forty.     Fifty-nine  have   united  with   the 
♦Vernon  and   Mt.  Vernon  united   in  the  tall   to  Mr.  Bunnell   in 

1811.    Theee  two  ohnrchei  separated  in  1*17,  and  both  struj 
to  retain  their  pastor.     After  a  long  and  painful  pntpenae,  Mr. 

Bushnell  concluded  to  remain  with  the  Mt.  Vernon  Choroh. 


214  PRESB  YTERIA  NISM  IN  THE 

Presbyterian  Church,  thirty  with  the  Baptists,  and  some  with  the 
Methodists.  The  means  are  essentially  the  same  as  in  other  revi- 
vals,— preaching,  fasting  and  prayer,  visiting  from  house  to  house, 
inquiry  meetiugs  and  conferences.  The  revival  at  its  commence- 
ment was  characterized  by  a  remarkable  tenderness  of  spirit 
among  Christians,  and  a  disposition  to  confess  their  faults  one  to 
another.  Many  old  professors  gave  up  their  hopes  and  as  the 
saying  was,  obtained  new  hopes.  I  never  witnessed  such  heart- 
searchings,  and  I  never  witnessed  such  ardor  and  perseverance  in 
prayer,  and  I  must  say  that  the  converts  give  as  good  evidence  of 
deep  and  thorough  conviction  of  sin  and  of  real  conversion  to 
God  as  I  have  ever  known,  and  nothing  of  an  opposite  character 
has  as  yet  appeared. 

The  Eev.  Abijah  Crain  was  pastor  of  the  church  at 
Westmoreland.  Winning  in  appearance  and  manners, 
beautiful  in  character  and  useful  in  life,  never  was 
minister  or  man  loved  more ;  and  at  the  same  time,  he 
commanded  respect  and  wielded  influence  by  his  faith- 
fulness and  force.  Two  hundred  were  added  to  the 
church  during  his  seven  years  charge  of  it,  and  con- 
strained to  leave  by  the  state  of  his  health,  he  was  dis- 
tinguished by  enterprise  and  efficiency  in  the  District 
Secretaryship  of  the  American  Home  Missionary  Soci- 
ety, and  with  his  full  equipment  for  it  upon  him,  he  fell 
in  service,  saying,  "  The  Lord's  time  is  the  best  time 
and  lam  ready." 

About  the  first  of  November  the  church  engaged  in  fasting, 
humiliation  and  prayer,  and  the  searching  influences  of  the  Spirit 
began  to  be  felt.  The  good  news  from  Vernon  Centre  was  brought 
to  Westmoreland  and  some  going  to  see  what  was  told  returned 
with  a  new  spirit.  Conferences  and  prayer  meetings  soon  filled 
up.  The  pastor  and  some  of  the  church  members  visited  from 
house  to  house.  The  distinguishing  truths  of  the  gospel  were 
preached  with  all  possible  plainness.  Numbers  were  deeply  im- 
pressed and  the  interest  steadily  increased  through  the  winter. 
The   instructions  of   the   Sabbath  School  were   greatly  blessed. 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  215 

Eight  of  the  teachers  and  thirty-four  of  the  scholars  indulge  hope. 
The  whole  number  of  converts  is  about  eighty  and  sixty  of  them 
have  united  with  the  Presbyterian  Church.  And  the  work  has 
not  ceased. 

Kev.  Israel  Brainerd  was  the  pastor  at  Verona.  Of 
a  branch  of  the  family  to  which  David  Brainerd  be- 
longed, he  shared  the  spirit  of  that  noted  missionary. 
A  graduate  of  Yale,  and  first  settling  in  the  ministry  at 
Guilford,  Ct,  at  the  close  of  five  years  spent  there,  he 
came  to  labor  in  the  new  settlements  here,  and  after 
itinerating  among  them  for  some  time,  he  entered  upon 
the  pastorate  which  he  continued  for  about  thirty  years 
and  in  which  he  repeatedly  received  the  marked  tokens 
of  the  divine  favor.  He  was  a  man  of  imposing  figure 
and  in  his  later  days  of  venerable  mein,  a  thorough 
theologian  and  superior  sermon izer,  dwelling  much  in 
the  divine  sovereignty  and  human  ruin,  and  especially 
pressing  them  in  seasons  of  religious  interest.    He  a 

The  first  appearance  of  especial  attention  to  religion  among 
my  people,  was  at  an  evening  meeting  in  the  last  week  of 
December.  Some  unhappy  contentions  had  previously  occurred 
and  efforts  to  compose  them  had  resulted  in  many  confessions. 
At  this  meeting  there  was  great  solemnity  and  one  person 
was  brought  under  pungenl  conviction  of  .sin.  The  work  then 
gradually  Increased,  conversions  occurring  every  week  till  the 
community  generally  was  aroused.  At  one  evening  meeting  in 
a  private  house,  ■  number  fell  and  others  irere  unable  to  leave 
until  morning.  There  were  fifty  conversions  in  this  district  dur- 
ing a  single  ireek,  Professing  Christians  irere  greatly  exercised 
during  the  revival,  many  despairing  of  themselves  and  then  find- 
ing hope  anew,  and  afterward!  laboring  and  praying  with  unpre- 
cedented earnestness.      The  number  of  converts  In  the  town  is 

about  one  hundred,  twenty  eight   of  whom   have   united  with  my 

church  and  twenty  more  may  be  expected  to  follow,    a  false  and 

scandalous  pamphlet  published  by  one  who  had  been  exounmuni- 
cated,  and   directed  against    the    pastor   ami    church,  diverted  the 


216  PRESB  YTER1A  N1SM  IN  THE 

attention  of  the  people,  and  the  preaching  in  the  most  favored 
district  by  one  who  had  spoken  against  the  revival,  arrested  the 
work,  so  that  few  awakenings  and  conversions  took  place  after- 
wards. 

Noah  Coe,  for  twenty-one  years  the  minister  of  New 
Hartford,  a  native  of  Connecticut,  a  graduate  of  Yale 
College  in  1808  and  of  Andover  Seminary  in  1811,  and 
first  settled  at  Chester,  N.  Y.,  from  1811  to  1813,  was 
a  model  Presbyter  and  pastor.  Always  in  his  place  in 
an  ecclesiastical  body  and  active  in  its  proceedings, 
concerned  for  the  cause  of  Christ  at  large  and  particu- 
larly throughout  his  denomination,  he  was  widely  use- 
ful and  influential  and  commanded  general  esteem. 
Vigilant  and  diligent  in  his  parish,  and  instructive  and 
faithful  in  the  pulpit,  he  won  the  affection  and  confi- 
dence of  his  people  and  was  a  prized  blessing  to  them. 
Laboring  subsequently  at  Woodbridge,  Southbury  and 
West  Greenwich,  Ct.,  and  as  City  Missionary  in  New 
York  from  1848  to  1852,  and  in  Williamsburg,  N.  Y., 
from  1852  to  1854,  he  retired  to  New  Haven  and  there 
died.     Mr.  Coe  said  : 

About  two  weeks  before  the  revival  commenced  here,  the  pas- 
tor of  the  church,  with  an  elder,  spent  two  days  at  Rome  and  on 
their  return  gave  an  account  of  the  work  of  divine  grace  in  that 
village  with  good  effect.  On  two  occasions  meetings  of  the  church 
were  held  and  men  and  women  were  called  upon  to  speak,  if  they 
had  anything  to  say,  in  way  of  confession  for  their  criminal  de- 
parture from  God,  and  in  relation  to  their  present  feelings  about 
the  salvation  of  souls.  These  meetings  were  highly  useful,  it  is 
thought.     The  labors  of  Mr.  Finney  and  Mr.  Nash,*  the  former 

*"  Father  Nash,"  Dr.  Aiken  writes,  "  was  more  of  a  layman  tliAn 
a  minister.  His  forte  lay  in  the  prayer  meeting.  Of  deep  piety, 
but  little  education,  his  language  was  sometimes  too  familiar 
and  apparently  irreverent  and  repulsive."  Mr.  Finney  states  in 
his  autobiography,  that  the  first  time  he  saw  him  was  in  a  pulpit 


SYNOD  OF  VENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  217 

of  whom  preached  six  sermons  and  attended  the  same  number  of 
inquiry  meetings,  were  greatly  blessed,  and  in  these  inquiry 
meetings  it  was  not  uncommon  for  two  or  three  to  give  their 
hearts  to  Christ.  Visiting  from  house  to  house  where  there  were 
anxious  sinners  as  often  as  every  other  day,  was  a  means  of  doing 
good.  Prayer  meetings  were  frequent  and  for  a  time  there  weir 
obvious  answers  to  fervent,  importunate,  believing  prayer.  In  no 
former  revival  have  the  subjects  of  it  for  so  long  a  time  possessed 
so  much  of  the  spirit  of  religion,  and  never  was  the  Presbyterian 
congregation  on  the  Sabbath  so  solemn  and  interesting.  The  en- 
emies of  religion  (Universalists  and  those  of  kindred  sentiments) 
have  manifested  great  opposition,  repeatedly  stoning  the  build- 
ings where  services  were  held,  firing  guns  about  the  church  dur- 
ing the  preaching  there,  suspending  images  with  papers  attached 
containing  denunciations  of  prominent  persons  in  carrying  on  the 
revival,  and  in  one  instance  a  constable  was  sent  to  bring  before 
a  justice  a  young  man  who  had  been  in  the  place  for  a  few  days, 
under  the  charge  that  he  was  a  vagrant,  without  visible  ineann  of 
support;  but  notwithstanding  the  opposition,  the  revival  went  on. 
One  hundred  were  supposed  to  have  been  regenerated  in  the 
course  of  it,  fifty-six  of  whom  have  been  received  into  the  Pres- 
byterian Church. 

Kev.  Oliver  Wetmore,  in  1S24,  took  charge  of  the 

church  at  Trenton.  lie  was  familiar  with  the  place 
and  with  the  region,  for  from  L809to  1811,  he  exercised 

where  1m-  was  praying,  hut  at  tin-  siinc  time  with  eye-  wide  op.  n. 

observing  every  out*  who  entered  and  looking  over  the  i 

tion.  '  He  was  at  that  time  in  a  very  cold  and  backslidden  Btat< 
'Afterwards  he  was  taken  with  inflamed  eyes  and  foi  s<  \  I  PI 
weeks  was  shut  up  in  a  dark  room,  and  unable  to  read  01  write,  he 

gave  himself  up  almost  entirely  to  praver.      He  had  a  terrible 
overhauling  in  his  whole  religions  experience,  and  as  soon  i 
was  able  to  see,  with  ■  double  black  veil  before  bis  face  he  sallied 
forth  to  labor  for  souls.     When  he  came  to  Evans  Mills  h< 
full  of  the  power  of  prayer,  and  had  a  '  praying  list/ as  he  called 
it,  of  the  names  of  those  whom  he  made  the  subjects  ol  pi 

every  day  and  sometimes  many  times  a  day,  and  praying  with  him 

and  hearing  him  pray  in  meeting,  I  found  thai  his  ^ift  of  pn 
was  wonderful  and  his  faith  almost  miraculoui        Father  Nash 

became  a  com  pan  ion  of  Mr.  Finney  in  his  revival  -<  i  \  e  - 

largely  relied  upon  by  bim  for  their  effective] 
R 


218  PRESBYTER1AX18M  IN  THE 

an  active  but  troubled  ministry  at  Holland  Patent,  in 
the  immediate  vicinity.  He  was  a  man  of  positive 
character  and  vigorous  intellect  and  untiring  energy, 
with  the  thorough  training  of  New  England  schoolsT 
and  "  after  the  most  straitest  sect  of  our  religion,  he 
lived  a "  Puritan.  A  righteous  man,  of  unbending 
principle,  he  knew  no  fear,  and  "  shunned  not  to  de- 
clare all  the  counsel  of  God."  He  would  not  invite  an- 
tagonism, but  if  truth  and  duty  stirred  it  up,  he  did  not 
shrink  from  encountering  it.  The  Lord  was  literally 
and  fully  supreme  with  him,  but  while  doing  his  bid- 
ding with  respect  to  others,  he  was  as  obedient  to  it 
with  respect  to  himself,  and  while  faithful  he  was  sub- 
missive and  trustful  and  happy.  His  hearing  failed 
him,  but  for  the  many  years  he  ceased  to  preach  no 
murmur  escaped  him  and  he  kept  as  eager  as  ever  for 
the  cause  of  his  Lord.  He  sat  regularly  in  my  pulpit 
at  Utica,  with  ear-trumpet  lifted  toward  me  and  with 
bright  eyes  fixed  upon  me,  and  we  lived  in  familiar  in- 
tercourse. I  visited  him  in  "  the  chamber  where  the 
good  man  met  his  fate,"  and  sat  at  his  bedside  "  quite 
on  the  verge  of  heaven  "  and  witnessed  the  raptures 
with  which  he  met  death. 

Mr.  Wetmore  said  : 

I  found  the  society  in  a  very  low  and  deranged  state.  Nothing 
special  occurred  until  December  last.  Several  professing  Chris- 
tians had  then  begun  to  mourn  over  their  stupidity,  and  to  pray 
for  themselves  and  the  church,  and  two  places  for  special  prayer 
for  the  outpouring  of  the  Spirit  were  appointed — one  in  and  the 
other  out  of  the  village.  The  day  appointed  by  the  Synod  for 
fasting  and  prayer  was  observed  with  much  solemnity,  much 
pleading  for  a  blessing  upon  it  having  been  previously  made.  Deep 
contrition   was  manifested.     The  church  members  confessed  to 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  219 

God  and  to  one  another.  Several  abandoned  all  hope  for  themselves 
and  were  as  anxious  as  convicted  sinners.  Indeed,  great  search  - 
ings  of  heart  continued  through  the  winter  and  the  spring  Soon 
after  the  fast  day,  cases  of  inquiry  occurred,  but  there  were  few 
conversions  until  March,  when  and  through  April  they  became 
frequent,  conviction  of  sin  beiug  pungent  and  brief,  though  oc- 
casionally kept  up  for  three  or  four  weeks,  and,  in  most  instances, 
those  who  entered  on  the  Christian  life  have  "  run  well."  The 
utmost  order  has  been  preserved  in  our  meetings,  without  any- 
thing like  fanaticism  or  enthusiasm.  Occasionally  an  involuntary 
sigh  or  groan  has  escaped;  but  no  other  noise  or  disturbance  oc- 
curred, save  once  by  a  drunken  man,  and  once  by  a  person  under 
conviction,  who  was  excited  because  prayer  was  offered  for  him 
the  previous  evening  by  a  visiting  brother,  and  the  latter  soon 
after  bemoaned  the  offence  and  submitted  to  the  Saviour. 

Prayer  and  preaching  have  been  the  means  employed.  The 
truths  most  insisted  on  were  the  holy  sovereignty  of  God,  the  ex- 
tent, spirituality  and  penalty  of  his  law,  the  character  of  Christ 
as  God  manifest  in  the  flesh,  the  atonement,  the  total  depravity  of 
the  heart,  and  the  duty  of  immediate  repentance  and  reconcilia- 
tion to  God,  and  the  great  guilt  of  sinners  in  the  excuse  that  they 
cannot  repent  and  love  God,  and  that  they  would  if  they  could. 
Inquiry  meetings  were  very  useful,  and  prayer  was  offered  at 
them  for  individuals,  and  remarkable  answers  to  such  prayer 
were  given.  Prayer  meetings  have  been  among  the  most  effect- 
ive means  employed,  especially  those  in  which  brother*  <(/<</  ritten 
lutoe  prayed  together.  If  God  has  honored  any  exercises  among 
us,  it  has  been  these;  and  if  ever  I  have  been  made  humble  and 
sensible  of  my  littleness,  it  was  there.  A  prayer  meeting  at  the 
house  of  an  elder,  a  mile  and  ;i  half  from  the  village,  was  the 
spiritual  birth -place  of  many  immortal  souls.  In  some  instances 
it  whs  kept   up  with  agonizing   supplication  till  near  tin-  break    <>t' 

day,  for  anxious  sinners  could  not  be  prevailed  on  to  leave  before 
the)  made  their  peace  with  God.  Upward  of  an  hundred  have 
been  hopefully  converted      Forty-four  have  been  admitted  to  the 

Church  and  as  main    more  expect  to  lie  received. 

The  opposition  to  tin1  revival  here  was  tin1  more  vio- 
lent   l>\    reason  of  the  hostility  of  a  congregation  *>( 


220  PRESBYTERIANISM  IN  THE 

"liberal  Christians."     A  scurrilous  pamphlet  was  circu- 
lated, the  character  of  which  is  intimated  by  its  title: 

"A 

''BUNKER    HILL    CONTEST." 

A.  D..  1826. 

Between  the  "  Holy  Alliance,"  for  the  Establishment  of  Hierarchy  and  Eccle- 
siastical Domination  over  the  Human  Mind 

ON   THE    ONE  SIDE, 

And  the   Asserters  of  Free  Inquiry.   Eible  Religion,  Christian  Freedom  and 
Civil  Liberty 

ON   THE    OTHER. 

The    Rev.   CHARLES    FINNEY, 

*'  Home  Missionary"  and  High  Priest  of  the  Alliance  in  the  Interior  of 

New  York. 

Headquarters:  County  of  Oneida.'1'' 

Eev.  John  Frost  was  a  native  of  Vermont,  an  alum- 
nus of  Middlebury  College  in  1806,  and  of  Andover 
Seminary  in  1810,  of  the  first  class  matriculated  at  that 
Institution  and  which  contained  a  notable  company  of 
men,  among  them  Adoniram  Judson,  Samuel  Newell, 
Samuel  Nott,  and  Dr.  R  S.  Storrs,  of  Braintree.  The 
spirit  of  his  classmates  animated  Mr.  Frost,  and  during 
1811  and  1812,  he  traveled  in  New  England  and  New 
York  as  an  Agent  of  the  American  Board  of  Commis- 
sioners for  Foreign  Missions.  For  the  twenty  years,  from 
1813  to  1833,  he  labored  in  season  and  out  of  season  as 
pastor  of  the  church  at  Whitesboro.  The  delicacy  and 
honorableness  which  always  distinguished  him,  came 
out  on  his  first  visit  to  the  place.  Learning  that 
Rev.  Henrv  Dwight  had  been  mentioned  and  favored 
as  a  candidate  for  the  charge  of  the  church,  he  refused 
to  allow  himself  to  In*  named  and  considered  in  connec- 
tion with  it.  He  was  soon  relieved  of  embarrassment, 
however.  The  boundaries  of  the  church  extended  to 
Utica,  and  it  was  desirable  that  the  members  should  be 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW    YORK.  221 

separately  organized.  This  was  accordingly  done,  and 
Mr.  Frost  was  called  to  Whitesboro  and  Mr.  Dwight  to 
Utica.  The  two  regularly  exchanged  pulpits  half  the 
time,  and  continued  to  do  so  without  interruption,  and 
with  growing  attachment  to  each  other,  for  nearly  live 
years,  when  Mr.  Dwight's  shattered  health  broke  up  his 
pastorate.  A  man  of  force  and  disciplined  powers,  "  This 
one  thing  I  do"  was  the  motto  of  Mr.  Frost's  life,  and 
devoted  to  the  Saviour  and  his  cause,  he  kept  back 
nothing  from  them.  With  his  home  as  his  earthly  para- 
dise, and  surrounded  by  an  affectionate  people,  and 
happy  and  useful  in  pastoral  work,  he  thrust  himself 
away  at  the  call  of  what  he  thought  was  duty  and  trav- 
ersed the  county  to  procure  .  funds  for  the  Whites- 
boro Institute.  At  liberty  to  settle  again,  he  went 
to  Elmira,  but  at  the  time  when  congregations  were 
most  divided  on  anti-slavery  questions  and  most  sensi- 
tive to  opinions  about  them.  It  was  not  his  nature  to 
keep  silent  and  passive  at  the  crisis  of  a  great  cause- 
Profoundly  convinced  of  the  wrong  and  curse  of  slav- 
ery, he  could  not  but  speak  what  he  thought,  and  do 
wh.-it  he  could  in  accordance  with  it.  The  loss  of 
friends  and  of  friendly  offices,  the  danger  and  threat 
of  hostile  treatment,  frowns  and  sneers,  did  not  - 
him,  and  leaving  Elmira,  he  took  the  temporary  over- 
sighl  of  the  church  at  Waterville,  and  died  in  it.  March 
1,  1842,  aged  59,  with  "Happy!  Perfectly  happy! 
(i<>d  is  here!  It  is  heaven — it  is  heaven!  God  reigns 
and  has  always  reigned!"  as  the  lasi  words  that  passed 

his  Lips. 

The  separation  of  the  church   into  two  bands  left 
Whitesboro  with  only  ;il""it   fifty   members,  mosl  of 

them  females,  and  with  only   foul  male  memhers  in  the 


222  PRESBYTERIANISM  IN  THE 

village,  and  no  general  revival  had  been  known  there. 
During  the  first  four  years  of  Mr.  Frost's  ministry, 
eighty -three  were  brought  into  the  church,  and  in  1819 
and  in  1S21,  one  hundred  and  eleven.  During  the 
three  following  years  scarcely  a  conversion  took  place. 
To  quote  in  substance  a  statement  of  Mr.  Frost : 

At  the  close  of  1824,  a  feeling  of  contrition  pervaded  the  church — 
penitent  acknowledgments  were  made— and  purposes  of  amend- 
ment solemnly  vowed.  The  first  Sunday  in  1825  the  entire 
membership  arose  in  the  midst  of  the  congregation  and  covenanted 
anew  with  each  other  and  with  God.  On  that  day,  some  of  the  im- 
penitent were  awakened,  and  by  the  early  part  of  summer  forty 
united  with  the  church.  Most  of  the  converts  were  young  people; 
but  as  few  cases  of  discipline  occurred  as  among  those  who  had  pre- 
viously professed  religion,  and  half  of  all  the  cases  were  due  to 
intemperance.  The  preparatory  service  at  the  opening  of  1826 
was  devoted  to  fasting  and  prayer  and  to  a  renewal  of  the  prom- 
ises given  the  previous  year.  The  revival  at  Rome  awakened 
great  interest,  and  several  who  went  there  returned  with  deep 
feeling.  It  had  often  been  lamented  that  so  many  heads  of  fami- 
lies had  been  unmoved  in  previous  revivals,  and  Christians  began 
to  make  them  the  burden  of  prayer.  The  conversion  at  Rome  of 
many  of  this  class  excited  earnestness  and  encouraged  faith. 
Prayer  meetings  at  different  places  were  frequent,  and  interces- 
sion was  made  for  heads  of  families  individually.  Several  weeka 
passed  before  any  tokens  of  gracious  answers  appeared,  but  delay 
created  importunity,  and,  at  last,  some  heads  of  families  were 
concerned  for  their  souls,  and  the  first  fruits  among  the  impeni- 
tent of  a  revival  were  seen  in  them.  In  February  the  feeling 
began  perceptibly  to  spread,  and  by  March  it  exceeded  anything 
before  known  in  the  place.  Opposition  then  arose.  Misrepre- 
sentations were  circulated.  A  lying  spirit  seemed  to  possess  per- 
sons before  exempt  from  it.  Some  were  angry  that  individuals 
were  indicated  in  prayer.  Some  affected  to  sneer  and  laugh  about 
the  serious  and  hoping.  Some  said  that  the  devil  had  got  into 
the  people,  and  others  that  ministers  and  churches  were  becom- 
ing crazy.  In  this  state  of  things,  "  Saul,  Saul,  why  persecutest 
then  me?"  and  "wherefore  do  the  wicked  contemn  God?"  were 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  223 

the  texts  of  sermons  on  a  Sabbath,  and  the  following  week  was 
one  of  deep  interest  and  solemnity.  Some  of  the  most  intelli- 
gent and  respectable  people  of  the  town  were  converted.  Silence 
reigned;  opposition  ceased;  Christians  trembled.  Never  was  I  so 
sensible  of  my  own  nothingness.  All  I  could  do  was  to  urge 
Christians  to  pray  that  breath  might  enter  into  these  slain,  while 
I  felt,  at  the  same  time,  that  we  were  all  unworthy  to  be  per- 
mitted to  pray  for  such  a  blessing  Many  interesting  conversions 
now  occurred,  and  they  continued,  though  with  less  frequency, 
after  the  opening  of  business  in  the  spring  diverted  the  public 
mind.  One  hundred  and  sixteen  united  with  the  Presbyterian 
Church,  forty-five  of  them  heads  of  families,  and  one  hundred 
and  seventy-eight  with  the  Baptists  and  Methodists,  and  up  to  a 
considerably  distant  date,  but  one  of  the  number,  who  joined  the 
Presbyterian  Church,  was  known  to  have  relapsed. 

Mr.  Frost  was  aided  by  several  of  his  neighboring 
brethren  and  Mr.  Finney  lectured  occasionally  for  him 
in  the  intervals  of  his  preaching  at  Utica.  The  super- 
intendents of  three  cotton  mills  within  the  bounds  of 
the  congregations. and  many  of  the  live  hundred  opera- 
tives were  the  subjects  of  this  work.  Not  only  were 
evening  meetings  held  especially  for  them,  but  the 
mills  were  stopped  for  a  time,  half  an  hour  during  the 
day,  while  men,  women  and  children  assembled  in 
their  working  dress,  many  in  tears,  and  were  spoken 
with  individually,  and  then,  all  kneeling  aboul  the  ma- 
chinery, "were  commended  to  God  in  prayer." 

Every  Presbyterian  Church  in  Oneida  county,  and 
the  Congregational  Churches  in  Clinton  and   Banover, 

shared    in  these  copious    showers  of    the    Spirit,  and  the 

description   of   them    in  one    place  corresponds    very 
much  to  that  of  all  the  rest.     Like  means  and  measures 
were  employed  and  like  experiences  had.     One  hun- 
dred and  fifty  new  members  were  received  l»\   th< 
sion  at  Camden,  67  at  Boonville,  ;:.">  at  Holland  Patent, 


224  PRESBTTER1AN1SM  IN  THE 

32  at  Russia  and  West  Brunswick,  28  at  Frankfort, 
and  smaller  numbers  elsewhere.  Between  3,000  and 
4,000  were  hopefully  converted  and  more  than  1,000* 
within  the  bounds  of  Oneida  Presbytery  were  added  to 
the  churches  under  its  care. 

It  was  this  revival,  as  is  well  known,  that  occasioned 
a  violent  controversy,  and  the  representations  of  which 
abroad,  widely  made  an  exceedingly  unfavorable  and 
unfair  impression  in  regard  to  religion  and  particularly 
in  regard  to  Presbyterianism  in  our  section  of  the  coun- 
try. Further  notice  will  be  taken  of  it  later  in  this 
sketch. 

The  Narrative  of  Religion  by  the  Presbytery  of  Cort- 
land for  1826  is  given  in  joyful  strains.  Harrison,  Caze- 
novia,  Homer  and  subsequently  Otisco,  Fabius  and  Pre- 
ble, are  particularized  as  most  distinguished  in  the  gene- 
ral blessing.  The  smaller  portion  of  the  measure  meted 
out  to  Cazenovia,  was  given  during  the  winter,  when 
about  thirty  shared  savingly  in  it.  Early  in  the  autumn 
thirty  or  forty  more  were  added  to  the  number  and  this 
was  increasing  still.  For  ten  months  the  blessing  had  been 
descending  on  Homer  and  had  not  ceased  in  Septem- 
ber, every  part  of  the  town  receiving  it,  and  nearly  rive 
hundred  new  converts  in  the  different  congregations  re- 
joiced in  it.  In  September,  1826,  the  Presbyter}'  of  On- 
ondaga relates  that  "five  of  its  twenty  churches  had  expe- 
rienced the  special  influences  of  the  Spirit — 1st  and  2d 
Manlius,  1st  Pompey,  LaFayette  and  Cicero,  and  in  the 
judgment  of  christian  charity  not  far  from  four  hundred 
have  become  new  creatures  in  Christ  Jesus  in  these 
places."     Marcellus  and  Ellbridge  should  be  put  onthe 

*  The  General  Assembly  Narrative  says  1,300,  and  also  that 
20  of  its  Presbyteries  reported  revivals. 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  225 

same  list,  and  of  Cortlandville  the  Presbytery  of  Geneva, 
to  which  it  then  belonged,  says:  "  The  infant  church 
there  was  made  greatly  to  enlarge  the  place  of  her  tent. 
Under,  the  plain  unadorned  and  unadulterated  exhibi- 
tions of  gospel  truth,  small  children  in  connection  with 
confirmed  infidels  and  bold  blasphemers,  mingled  their 
cries  for  mercy,"  and  more  than  one  hundred  found  it. 

The  Synod  of  Albany  in  1820,  remarks.  "  In  the 
Presbytery  of  St.  Lawrence,  four  or  five  congregations 
have  been  blessed  with  special  effusions  of  the  Spirit. 
but  by  no  means  as  extensively  and  powerfully  as  in 
former  years.  Many  churches  arc  vacant  there  and  the 
removal  of  pastors  from  want  of  support  is  frequent" 

Describing  1827-8  as  so  prolific  in  blessings  to  the 
church  at  large  as  to  "  demand  the  warmest  gratitude," 
the  General  Assembly  mentions  among  the  congrega- 
tions it  specifies,  Denmark,  Wilna,  Watertown,  Ellis- 
burg  and  Rutland,  in  St.  Lawrence,  or  Watertown  Pres- 
bytery,  Bridgewat  3  [uoit,  Rome  and  Litchfield,  in 
Oneida  Presbytery,  Salina,  Jamesville,  Pompey  1st. 
Lenox  2d.  lsl  and  2d  Manlius,  in  Onondaga  Presbytery, 
and  Berkshire,  Newark  Valley,  Owego  and  Chenango 
P<-int.  in  Ti<        '      ytery. 

In  1827.  the  Synod  of  Albany  Bpeaks  of  the  eff< 
of  the  revival  of  the  preceding  year  as    "mosl  inter- 
esting and  important,"  and  says  that  "  very  f«'v 

jtacy  "  bad  taken  place,  and  adds :  "A  revival  is  now 
in  pr  B  irater  which  was  greatly  prom 

by  a  meeting  of  the  Presbytery  of  Oneida  there.  Win- 
field,  a  Congregational  Church,  and  Litchfield  are  now 
enjoying  a  season  of  refreshing.  Prom  St  Lawrence 
Presbytery  we  learn  thai  Smithville  and  Watertown 
are  blessed  with  the  presence  and   power  of  the  Spirit 


226  PRESB  YTERIANISM  IN  THE 

In  the  Presbytery  of  Ogdensburg  the  showers  of  divine 
grace  have  fallen  far  and  wide,  and  especially  in  Parish- 
ville,  Hopkinton,  Stockholm,  Norfolk,  Massena,  Mad- 
rid and  Potsdam." 

In  1828,  the  Synod  reports  Copenhagan  and  Ellisburg, 
in  the  Presbytery  of  St.  Lawrence,  as  "  favored  with 
the  special  Divine  presence  and  power,  30  submitting 
to  the  Lord  in  the  latter  place.  In  the  Presbytery  of 
Oneida  several  churches  have  been  made  to  rejoice  and 
-are  now  rejoicing  in  the  converting  influences  of  the 
Holy  Ghost :  30  at  Herkimer,  40  or  50  at  Kome,  20  at 
Yerona,  80  at  Bridge  water,  have  partaken  of  them. 

In  the  Presbytery  of  Otsego,  a  particularly  noticable 
work  of  grace  has  been  experienced  in  several  manu- 
factories. At  Hopeville,  within  the  bounds  of  Coopers- 
town,  thirt}^  or  forty  of  various  ages  and  of  all  descrip- 
tions of  character  and  habits  were  subjects  of  it.  The 
vicinity  of  Fly  and  Oak  Creeks  was  reached  by  it  and 
thirty  or  iovij  yielded  to  it  there,  and  a  church  of  forty 
was  organized." 

1829-1839. 

This  period  is  quite  as  noticable  as  the  preceding. 
Not  a  year  in  it  but  was  marked  by  revivals  and  these 
were  much  wider  in  their  range  than  those  of  the  pre- 
vious ten  years. 

Speaking  of  his  ministry  in  Utica,  lie  v.  Dr.  Dirck, 
O.  Lansing  relates  in  his  Centennial  sermon,  ''Early  in 
autumn  of  1829,  there  were  strong  indications  of  the 
presence  of  the  spirit  of  God  among  us,  and  by  winter 
there  was  a  general  solemnity  throughout  the  city. 
The  two  Presbyterian  churches  united  in  this  work. 
More  than  250  united  with  mv  church  (Bleecker  Street) 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  227 

during  this  revival,  which  continued  for  nearly  eighteen 
months  ;  about  the  same  number  with  the  First  Churchr 
and  many  with  churches  of  other  denominations." 

In  1880,  the  General  Assembly  felt  called  upon  to 
"  rejoice  and  give  thanks  for  the  intelligence  received 
from  every  quarter,"  and  names  among  the  places  re- 
ported to  it  Watertown,  Sacketts  Harbor,  Brownsville, 
Adams  and  Lowville,  in  Watertown  Presbytery;  Au- 
gusta, Western,  Trenton,  Warren,  Sauquoit  and  Rome, 
in  Oneida  Presbytery  ;  Windsor,  Franklin,  Bainbridge, 
Harpersfield,  West  Coventry  and  the  Forks  of  the 
Delaware,  in  Chenango  Presbytery ;  Liverpool,  Salina, 
Cicero,  Pompey,  3d  Syracuse,  Otisco,  in  Onondaga 
Presbytery:  Truxton,  in  Cortland,  and  Owego,  in  Tio- 
ga Presbyteries. 

The  Synod  of  Utica  says : 

To  the  praise  and  glory  of  God,  we  record  the  heart  cheering 
fact  that  he  has  graciously  appeared  to  build  up  Zion  among  us. 
Sacketts  Harbor,  Brownville,  Belleville,  first  and  second  Low- 
ville, in  the  Presbytery  of  Watertown;  Mexico,  Parish  and  Cam- 
den, in  the  Presbytery  of  Oswego;  Western,  Kemsen,  Trenton, 
Holland  Patent,  Floyd,  Rome,  Augusta,  Westmoreland,  New  York 
Mill*  and  Utica,  in  the  Presbytery  of  Oneida;  and  Hartwick  and 
Morrisville  in  the  Presbytery  <>f  Otsego,  are  most  to  be  noted  for 
the  divine  presence  and  power,  while  some  revival!  previously 
reported  are  in  progress  now  and  of  growing  Interest  About  six 
hundred  h  re  been  gathered  Into  these  churches,  and  many  more 
are  likely  to  follow. 

The  Presb}  m\  of  (  hieida  sa 

Revivals  of  religion  have  been  extending  from  one  congrega- 
tion to  another,  until  there  sre  few  remaining   which  have  not 
shared  Lnthem.     In  several  they  are  powerfully  in  progn 
this  moment,  and  recent  Indications  of  them  appear  where  they 
have  not  been  iritnessed  before.    It  has  never  been  our  privilege 

to  behold  Mich  difj)  la\  |  1 1  f  graCC    BXCept  in  that  memorable  year — 


228  PRESBYTERIAN JSM  IN  THE 

1826.  Western  was  mentioned  in  last  year's  Narrative.  Always 
struggling  with  difficulties  and  long  languishing,  with  scarcely 
any  hope  of  living,  the  things  that  remained  have  been  greatly 
strengthened,  about  65  uniting  with  that  church;  23  were  added 
to  the  small  church  of  Warren,  and  as  many  to  Sauquoit;  16  to 
the  church  at  Rome,  63  to  the  churches  of  Floyd  and  Holland 
Patent,  between  40  and  50  to  the  church  in  Trenton,  and  between 
30  and  40  to  the  church  in  Remsen.  The  church  at  New  York 
Mills  was  in  the  midst  of  a  revival  at  the  time  of  its  forma- 
tion, and  was  joined  by  between  30  and  40  new  converts.  A  revi- 
val commenced  in  Westmoreland  last  summer  and  continues  still, 
56  having  already  been  received  to  that  church;  and  interesting 
revivals  have  been  prevailing  for  some  months  in  Whitesboro, 
Utica  and  New  Hartford,  and  as  the  first  fruits  41  have  united 
with  the  church  in  New  Hartford,  50  with  the  church  in  Whites- 
boro, 60  with  the  Second  Church,  Utica,  and  a  number  with 
the  1st  and  3rd  Churches.  A  revival  is  in  progress  at  Mount 
Vernon,  and  in  the  First  and  Second  Churches  of  Verona,  to  the 
latter  of  which  33  have  been  added.  Russia  and  Boonville  have 
been  cheered  and  strengthened  by  considerable  accessions  to  them, 
and  Norway,  long  in  a  languishing  state,  has  been  greatly  refresh- 
ed, and  in  the  midst  of  animosity,  contention  and  division  at  Au- 
gusta, reconciling  and  converting  power  from  on  high  was  exert- 
ed, and  18  have  been  admitted  to  the  church  and  18  propounded 
for  it. 

"  Union  meetings"  and  "three  days'  meetings"  have  been  held 
with  happy  results.  With  few  exceptions,  there  has  been  little 
or  no  opposition.  Persons  of  all  ages  are  the  subjects  of  these 
revivals,  but  principally  the  young  and  middle  aged,  who  had 
been  religiously  trained.  Hardened  sinners,  for  whom  hope  had 
been  abandoned,  were  melted  and  subdued,  and  not  a  few  who 
had  been  addicted  to  strong  drink,  tasted  the  cup  of  the  Lord* 


*  The  Presbytery  of  Tioga  speaks  of  "the  dispelling  of  the 
dark  cloud  which  for  years  had  hung  over  most  of  its  congrega- 
tions. About  15  in  Caroline,  30  in  Lisle,  35  in  Union,  50  in  Rich- 
ford,  70  in  Owego,  are  rejoicing  in  hope,  while  the  joyous  work  is 
progressing;  32  have  bejm  received  to  the  church  in  Owego,  and 
106,  on  a  single  Sabbath,  in  Berkshire  and  Newark,  while  many 
more  were  waiting  to  do  it.  The  whole  number  of  conversions 
within  tbe  bounds  of  the  Presbytery  was  estimated  at  between 
400  and  500. 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  229 

The  General  Assembly  described  1831  as  a  year  of 
"revivals  and  rejoicing  in  the  church  such  as  was  never 
known  before  in  this  land,''  and  sa}rs  that  it  could  "only 
give  the  names  of  the  favored  Presbyteries,"  and 
among  these  were  Watertown,  Oneida,  Otsego.  Chenan- 
go, Cortland,  Onondaga  and  Tioga.  The  Synod  of 
Utica  says : 

The  places  that  have  been  visited  the  past  year  with  the  special 
effusions  of  the  Spirit  are  more  numerous,  perhaps,  in  this  part  of 
the  country  than  at  any  previous  period.  Jn  St.  Lawrence  Pres- 
bytery, Potsdam  and  Gouverneur  and  places  in  the  vicinity;  in 
Watertown  Presbytery,*  Belleville, Sacketts  Harbor, Adams.Brown- 
ville,  Le  Roy,  Orleans,  Watertown,  Lowville,  Martinsburg,  Den- 
mark, Turin  and  Leyden;  every  town  in  Oswego  Presbytery,  with 
one  exception,  where  the  gospel  is  statedly  preached,  and  particu- 
larly Camden,  Florence,  Voluey,  Oswego,  New  Haven,  Mexico, 
Richland,  Sandy  Creek  and  Hannibal;  Westford,  Worcester,  Fly 
Creek,  Maryland,  Cooperstown,  Hartwick,  Milford,  New  Lisbon, 
Butternuts  and  Bowman's  Creek,  in  Otsego  Presbytery;  many 
towns  in  Oneida  county  and  particularly,  Trenton,  Floyd,  Boon- 
ville,  Rome,  Bridgewater,  Fairfield,  Norway  and  Vernon,  were 
copiously  showered. 

The  Presbytery  of  St.  Lawrence  estimated  the  num- 
ber of  conversions  within  its  bounds  at  seven  hundred, 
and  the  Presbytery  of  Watertown  at  from  two  to  three 
thousand.  The  latter  Presbytery  ascribes  all  the  work 
to  Almighty  power,  and  acknowledges  it  all  as  of  di- 
vine grace,  ''and  especially,'1  it  says,  '"do  we  who  min- 
ister in  word  and  doctrine  bumblj  confess  that  all  our 

Sufficiency    IS    <»!'    God."      "At    tint  same    lime,"   it    add.s. 

u  we  are  more  than  ever  convinced  1>\  the  year's  expe< 

*  The  worldly  portion  of  tin-  community  V7U  M  iiuirh  disturbed 

by  the  revivals,  that  a  oonvention  <>f  the  citizens  of  Jefferson 
county  (so  called)  met  at  the  court  house  in  Watertown,  ami  in 
uddretwH  and  resolutions  denounced  them. 


230  PRESBYTERIANISM  IN  THE 

rience,  that  faithfulness  in  duty  is  the  condition  of 
blessing."  The  plain  preaching  of  the  law  and  the 
gospel,  preceded,  accompanied  and  followed  by  fervent, 
effectual  prayer,  has  been  the  chief  instrumentality 
employed,  and  especially  has  this  been  so  in  meetings 
frequently  protracted  for  many  successive  days ;  and 
in  connection  with  this,  has  been  affectionate  and 
urgent  conversation  with  individuals."  "A  more  gen- 
eral attendance  at  the  sanctuary,  a  more  general  interest 
in  religion  throughout  the  community,  a  better  observ- 
ance of  the  Sabbath,  a  more  obvious  distinction  between 
the  righteous  and  the  wicked,  are  among  the  results 
that  have  followed,"  and  "  the  circulation  of  the  Scrip- 
tures, the  distribution  of  religious  tracts,  the  support  of 
Home  and  Foreign  Missionaries,  the  education  of  young 
men  for  the  ministry,  instruction  in  Sunday  schools 
and  Bible  classes,  and  the  promotion  of  the  temperance 
reform,  engage  Christians  and  many  also,  who  make  no 
profession  of  religion." 

The  Presbytery  of  Oneida  reports : 

The  church  in  Augusta,  so  often  blessed,  has  enjoyed  a  more 
extensive  revival  than  at  anj  former  period,  150  being  reckoned 
converts,  and  100  being  gathered  into  the  church.  Through  the 
benevolent  solicitude  of  the  late  lamented  Mrs.  William  Williams, 
a  Bible  Class  and  Sabbath  School  were  formed  at  Schuyler,  hith- 
erto a  neglected  moral  waste,  and  sustained  by  Christian  friends 
in  Utica,  and  as  the  result  a  number  have  been  brought  to  know 
the  Saviour,  and  a  church  organized,  and  public  worship  and 
preaching  established,  100  were  added  to  the  First  Church,  Utica, 
about  170  to  the  Bleecker  Street,  Utica,  and  a  number  to  Fayette 
Street,  Utica,  12  were  added  to  the  church  in  New  York  Mills  and 
12  more  indulged  hope,  and  a  number  long  in  suspense,  were 
brought  to  a  happy  decision.  A  meeting  of  nine  days'  continu- 
ance at   New  Hartford  was  greatly  blessed,  and  during  the  year 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  23  1 

between  50  and  60  were  admitted  to  the  church.  A  district  school 
in  the  parish  led  15  of  its  scholars  to  know  the  Saviour.  About 
40  give  evidence  of  conversion  in  New  Stockbridge,  several  of 
them  heads  of  families,  and  about  20  or  30  in  Western.  A  revi- 
val at  Mount  Vernon  during  the  winter  brought  about  50  into  the 
church,  and  a  fourteen  days'  meeting  there  afterwards  was  blessed 
savingly  to  50  or  60  souls.  A  protracted  meeting  in  the  First 
Church,  Rome,  resulted  in  20  professed  conversions.  In  the  course 
of  the  summer  a  meeting  was  appointed  three  miles  from  the  vil- 
lage, and  as  no  more  convenient  place  could  be  procured,  it  was 
held  in  a  mill.  So  much  interest  was  excited,  that  the  meeting 
was  continued  the  next  day,  and  from  15  to  20  rejoiced  in  the 
Saviour.  About  120  indulged  hope  for  themselves  in  the  congre- 
gation of  the  Second  Church  during  the  first  year  of  its  existence, 
which  closed  a  month  ago.  A  protracted  meeting  lasting  for  fif- 
teen days  was  held  there  during  the  last  month,  and  it  is  compu- 
ted that,  in  the  course  of  it,  300  were  converted  in  the  village  and 
in  neighboring  towns.  54,  of  more  than  100  converts,  have  united 
with  the  church  in  Bridgewater,  and  between  40  and  50  with  the 
church  in  Vernon  Centre.  The  membership  of  40  at  Little  Falls 
has  been  doubled,  some  of  the  increase  consisting  of  once  violent 
opposers  of  religion.  Of  about  80  converts,  principally  youth,  at 
Fairfield,  40  or  50  have  united  with  the  church.  Other  churches 
have  shared  in  the  wide  spread  blessing,  though  in  smaller  meas- 
ures. In  Columbia,  15  or  20  hopeful  conversions  are  counted, 
about  as  many  in  Salisbury,  25  or  150  in  Warren,  6  or  8  in  Sau- 
quoit,  all  of  whom  have  made  a  public  profession  of  religion,  10 
or  13  in  Russia,  15  or  20  in  Trenton,  87  in  Holland  Patent,  12  or 
14  in  Whitesboro,  30  in  Boonville,  and  12  or  14  iii  Norway  ami 
West  Brunswick.  It  is  gratifying  to  the  Presbytery  to  state  also 
thai  the  Congregational  church  in  vVinfleld,  not  under  our  care, 
but  in  the  charge  of  "in-  of  our  ministers,  lias  received  to  its  com- 
munion more  than  100,  of  something  like  300  who  trusted  that 
they  had  been  received  into  fellowship  by  tin  Saviour, 

Tlic  Presbytery  of  Onondaga  reports: 

Most  of  our  congregations  have  been  visited,  in  a  ipecia]  de- 
gree, with  the  renewing  Influences  of  the  spirit,  meetings  of  gov 
era)  days  continuance  baving  been  manifestly  connected  with  their 
beginning  or  furtherance,    There  have  been  added  to  the  church 


232  PliESBYTERlANISM  IN  THE 

between  GO  and  70  in  Salina,  about  GO  in  Otisco,  70  in  Manliua 
Square,  between  30  and  40  in  Manliua  Centre,  43  in  Pompey,*37 
in  Camillas,  between  30  and  40  in  Syracuse,  14  in  Matthews'  Mills, 
20  in  La  Fayette,  15  in  Jamesville,  30  in  Baldwinsville,  15  in  On- 
ondaga Hill,  50  in  Onondaga  Hollow,  15  in  Lysander. 

The  Presbytery  of  Otsego  reports : 

The  Spirit  lias  been  poured  out  from  on  high  upon  Butternuts, 
Bowman's  Creek,  Cooperstown,  Springfield,  Fly  Creek,  Oak 
Creek,  Maryland,  West  Hartwick,  Millford  and  Cherry  Valley; 
94  additions  have  been  made  to  Butternuts,  86  to  Cooperstown,  40 
to  Bowman's  Creek,  36  to  Springfield,  32  to  Fly  Creek  and  Oak 
Creek,  32  to  Maryland,  20  to  Worcester,  12  to  West  Hartwick, 
25  to  West  ford  and  25  to  Millford. 

The  Presbytery  of  Chenango  reports : 

Most  of  our  churches  have  shared  in  the  reviving  influences  of 
the  Spirit,  and  with  several  of  them  it  has  been  truly  a  year  of 
the  right  hand  of  the  Most  High.  An  unusual  number  of  all 
ages,  from  the  child  to  the  gray-haired  man,  and  of  all  characters, 
from  the  self  righteous  moralist  to  the  most  profligate  and  aban- 
doned, have  been  hopefully  brought  into  the  kingdom  of  Christ, 
and  in  some  places  large  accessions  have  been  made  to  the  visible 
church,  and  we  deem  it  worthy  of  notice  that  God  seems  to  have 
owued  and  signally  blessed  protracted  meetings. 

In  this  year,  kk  the  Divine  Spirit  came  with  remarka- 
ble power  upon  the  Presbytery  of  Tioga.  Protracted 
meetings  were  introduced  and  blessed.  One  hundred 
joined  the  Newark  Church  on  a  single  Sabbath,  and 
seventy-three  the  church  in  Cortlandville  during  the 
year." 

The  General  Assembly  in  1832  enumerates  "  sixty- 
eight  Presbyteries  and  seven  hundred  congregations" 
as  blessed  with  revivals:  naming  Watertown,  Oswego, 
Oneida,  Otsego,  Cortland,  Chenango,  Delaware  and 
Tioga  among  the  Presbyteries.  "In  many  places,"  it 
remarks,  " the  displays  of  thepowerof  the  gospel  were 
almosl  beyond  example." 


SYNOD  OF  VENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  233 

The  Synod  of  Utica  states :  "  Two  thousand  one  hun- 
dred and  ninety-seven  have  been  added  to  the  churches 
under  our  care  on  examination,  and  their  whole  num- 
ber of  communicants  in  those  which  have  made  re- 
ports, is  twelve  thousand  four  hundred  and  sixty-one, 
and  the  actual  number  not  far  from  thirteen  thousand. 
Almost  all  of  them  have  had  precious  seasons  of  revi- 
val, and  these,  with  few  exceptions,  connected  with 
what  are  called  protracted  meetings."  "The  Synod 
would  notice  with  a] (probation  the  holding  of  these 
meetings,  as  by  the  churches  of  Rome  and  Oswego,  in 
the  outskirts  of  congregations,  and  thereby  reaching 
many  who  have  not  felt  interest  enough  in  the  gospel 
to  go  to  places  where  its  ordinances  are  established." 

The  Presbytery  of  Tioga  reported  that  Bingham  - 
ton,  Westville,  Union.  Nanticoke  and  Lisle  West  had 
been  "blessed  with  revivals  of  religion—all  of  them  in 
connection  with  protracted  meetings,  and  that  ninety  - 
three  had  been  added  to  the  church  in  Binghamton 
and  fifty-four  to  Nanticoke." 

The  Presbytery  of  Cortland  reported  the  addition,  on 
a  profession  of  their  faith,  of  nearly  one  hundred  to  the 
church  in  Eomer,  largelj  the  result  of  a  protracted 
meeting  of  nine  days,  and  sixty-three  united  with  the 

church  in  (  ortlandville. 

The  Presbytery  of  Delaware  reported  : 

The  Lord  has  added  to  all  our  churches  of  suoh,as  we  trust, 
will  be  remembered  among  tin-  redeemed,  the  several  additions 
ranging  from  twenty  to  one  hundred  and  forty,  ami  the  aggn 
amounting  to  eight  hundred  and  twentj 

The  Synod  of  dtica,  in  Is-".-"'..  relates : 

"Fourteen  churches  In  four  Presbyteries  are  reported  a*  hav- 
ing enjoyed   revivals  of  religion:  eight  of  them   In  Watertown 


234  PRESB  YTER1AN1SM  IN  THE 

Presbytery,  four  in  Otsego  and  two  in  Oneida,  and  one  thousand 
and  eighty-seven  have  been  added  to  all  the  churches  on  exam- 
ination. 

"Several  of  our  churches."  says  the  Presbytery  of 
Delaware,  "  have  enjoyed  a  refreshing  from  the  pres- 
ence of  the  Lord,  and  about  two  hundred  and  ninety 
have  been  received  to  their  communion.'' 

The  Presbytery  of  Otsego  says : 

Many  have  yielded  to  the  Saviour  in  Springfield  by  means  of  a 
protracted  meeting  there.  Middlefield  and  Millford,  two  of  our 
most  feeble  churches,  have  been  more  than  doubled.  It  is  worthy 
of  remark,  that  though  protracted  meetings  have  been  previous- 
ly held  in  most  of  our  churches,  the  blessing  of  God  has  attended 
them  wherever  they  were  repeated  the  past  year. 

Says  the  Kev.  H.  H.  Allen,  pastor  of  the  church  at 
Oneonta : 

In  the  latter  part  of  the  spring  of  1833,  the  Evangelist,  Rev. 
Augustus  Littlejohn,  came  here.  For  about  four  weeks  in  May 
and  June  he  preached  day  by  day  in  his  peculiar  manner,  earnest- 
ly and  fearlessly,  the  doctrines  of  repentance  and  salvation 
through  Jesus  Christ.  The  Spirit  of  God  came  down  upon  the 
people;  the  whole  community  was  moved;  the  inhabitants  of  the 
surrounding  country,  within  a  radins  of  several  miles,  were  drawn 
by  an  irresistible  power  to  this  spot  whence  the  Word  of  God  is- 
sued so  unmistakably,  accompanied  by  the  divine  energy.  Day 
after  day,  though  in  the  very  midst  of  the  busy  season  of  the 
year,  the  house  was  crowded  with  anxious  listeners  and  earnest 
seekers  after  the  way  of  salvation.  Scores  were  converted  and 
made  to  rejoice  in  the  forgiveness  of  their  sins,  and  the  posses- 
sion of  a  good  hope  of  a  blessed  immortality.  The  little  band  of 
disciples,  who  had  been  struggling  to  maintain  their  existence  as 
a  church,  were  gladdened  and  strengthened  by  an  accession  that 
more  than  doubled  their  number — fifty-two  having  been  added  to 
their  communion  during  the  months  of  June  and  August. 


Mr.  Alien  mentions  among  those  then  gathered  into 

the  Presbyterian  Church,  Timoth}    Sabin,  one  of  its 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  235 

pillars  ever  since,  and  a  ruling  elder  in  the  thirty-sec- 
ond year  of  his  office  in  1*76,  who  ''lives  in  all  our 
hearts,  and  will  live  as  long  as  the  things  of  time  and 
sense  have  a  place  in  our  affections  and  remembrance  ;" 
and  Eliakim  R.  Ford,  who  joined  the  Baptist  Churchy 
and  "  did  noble  and  generous  service  there,  and  whose 
precious  memory,  like  Mary's  ointment,  fills  all  the 
place.'  '* 

The  Presbytery  of  Watertown  says  : 

In  many  of  our  congregations  God  has  granted  us  still  further 
reviving,  and  among  these,  first  and  second  Watertown,  first  and 
second  Lowville,  Leyden,  Alexandria,  Theresa,  Antwerp,  West 
Leyden,  Belleville,  Smithville,  Martinsburg  and  Brantingham. 
There  were  mighty  barriers  to  be  overcome  in  some,  and  it  has 
seemed  as  if  the  might  and  grace  of  God  were  put  to  the  test  by 
them.  Sixteen  of  our  twenty  eight  churches  report  three  hundred 
and  thirteen  additions. 

The  Presbytery  of  Tioga  says: 

Binghamton  has  had  an  increase  of  195.  Union  145,  First  Con- 
gregational Church,  Union,  GO,  Lisle  and  Owego  a  large  but  un- 


*  Here  is  one  of  the  inscrutable  mysteries  of  grace,  "  Stmiliu- 
Similibu.s'  is  the  established  law,  bat  a  Cyrus  ie  sometimes  em- 
ployed in  work  for  the  Lord.  Charity  cannot  think  well  of  Mr. 
Littlejohn.     He  was  either  corrupt  or  Insane.     With  a  natural 

aptitude    for   public  speaking,  lie   was  taken  from  secular  life    bj 

tip-  Angelica  Presbytery,  and  with  no  more  than  a  district  school 
preparation  put  into  the  ministry.     His  work  as  an  ECvangelisI  was 

principally  confined  to  the   bounds  of   the  body  that    licensed   and 

ordained  him;  hut  it  was  carried  on  her.-  ami  there  in  other  parts 
of  th<- st;tt.-.  He  drew  large  congregations  ami  produced  great 
excitements,  ami  some  of  the  excellent  of  the  earth  admired  his 
preaching  ami  approved  of  his  proceedings,  and  conversions  and 

revivals  attended  him.      1 1  i  r-  sermons  were  pronounced  by  most  of 

his  discriminating  bearers,  coarse  ami  violent,  and  reckless  of  di- 
vine truth;  and  though  he  escaped  discipline   for  this  ami  for   the 

dUsordero  be  produced  in  numerous  congregations,  the  P 

that  commissioned  him  also  deposed  him,  convicted  as  he  was  ol 

a  long  course  of  gross  Immorality. 


236  PRESB  TTERIANISM  IN  THE 

known  number,  and  Owego  is  to  receive  forty  more  at  the  next 
communion.* 

En  1834,  Watertown  Presbytery  reports  an  accession 
of  one  hundred  and  ninety-one  to  sixteen  of  its 
churches,  and  among  those  to  which  the  largest  was 
made  were  Belleville,  Brantingham,  West  Leyden, 
Sacketts  Harbor,  Adams  and  Orleans,  and  the  Synod 
of  Utica  reports:  "A  few  of  our  churches  have  en- 
joyed precious  and  somewhat  extensive  effusions  of  the 
Spirit,  and  a  greater  number  gentle  refreshings,  "f 

The  Presbytery  of  Cortland  reports : 

There  have  been  revivals  in  some  of  our  congregations  and  ad- 
ditions to  most  of  our  churches:  43  to  Preble,  20  to  Cazenovia,  27 
to  Smithfield,  15-  to  Fabius,  16  to  Homer  and  19  to  Scott,  and 
smaller  numbers  to  others. 


*  "  In  1833,  Jedediah  Burchard  preached  at  Binghamton  and 
Union.  His  trumpet  tone?!,  his  fire  of  love,  his  masterly  power 
of  description  and  riches  of  spiritual  love,  claiming  also  the  high- 
est Calvinism,  drew  multitudes  to  hear  him  Hundreds  suddenly- 
embraced  Christ — probably  half  a  thousand  in  six  weeks.  His 
fault  was  not  in  the  preaching  and  praying,  but  possibly  in  taking 
the  converts  into  the  church  before  they  were  proved.  Ministers 
and  laymen  distrusted  the  soundness  of  their  conversion;  the  con- 
verts were  in  some  cases  neglected,  and  thus  his  faithful  labors 
were  brought  into  disrepute.  Twenty  years  of  agitation  followed, 
while  the  long-suffering  Saviour  blessed  ordinary  and  extraordi- 
nary means." — Rev.  D.  D.  Gregory. 

f  Elder  Jacob  Knapp,  the  well-known  Baptist  Evangelist,  writes 
in  his  autobiography:  "  I  spent  the  eighteen  months  following  Sep- 
tember, 1S;J:J,  in  visiting  the  churches  of  Jefferson  and  Lewis 
counties,  and  laboring  with  them  in  protracted  meetings.  God 
was  with  me  and  converts  were  multiplied.  His  Spirit  was 
poured  out  plenteously  in  nearly  every  place  in  which  1  labored. 
I  was  not  confined  to  Baptist  churches;  but  in  Presbyterian  and 
Methodist  I  preached  repentance  and  faith.  It  was  thought  by 
some  reliable  judges  that  not  less  than  two  thousand  souls  were 
converted  during  these  eighteen  months."  Mr.  Knapp  was  also 
engaged  during  1882  in  "protracted  meetings"  at  several  places 
in  the  northern  part  of  our  field. 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  237 

The  Presbytery  of  Delaware  reports  that  "the  Lord 
revived  his  work  in  Jefferson,  where  sixty  were  hope- 
fully converted,  and  afterwards  in  Harpersfield.  where 
thirty  were  converted,  and  then  in  Franklin,  where 
twenty-eight  were  received  to  the  church.''  The  Pres- 
bytery of  Oneida  reported  that  several  of  its  churches 
'•were  enjoying  an  unusual  amount  of  divine  influ- 
ence," but  that  report  was  not  recorded 

In  1835,  the  Presbytery  states  that  the  divine  influ- 
ence exerted  the  previou-  year  resulted  in  addition  of 
twelve  to  the  church  in  Sauquoit,  thirty  to  Oneida  and 
Skenandoah.  and  forty-five  to  Westmoreland  and  thirty- 
three  to  West  Brunswick.  The  people  in  the  last  place 
had  become  so  discouraged  as  to  be  ready  to  abandon  the 
church,  but  the  corning  of  a  minister  sent  by  the  Amer- 
ican Home  Missionary  Society  was  immediately  fol- 
lowed by  anxious  inquiry  and  joyful  hope.  The  ]' 
bytery  adds  that  a  revival  was  then  in  progress  at  Ver- 
ona beginning  on  Thanksgiving  day  and  greatly  ad- 
vanced on  the  day  of  ad  prayer  forthe  conver- 
sion of  the  world.  The  first  converts  wen-  memh 
the  P  B  P  early 
in  1836,  speaks  of  Whitesboro,  Deerfield,  Verona  first 
»nd  and  third,  New  Fork  Mills,  Trenton  and 
Holland  Patenl  as  favored  t<>  some  extent  and  after  the 
year  had  closed  it  speaks  oi   interesting  revivals  and 

6T  in   Wat'-rville.   Stockbridge,    V. 

moreland,  New  Fork  Mills,  Bridgewater,  Warren  and 
Augusta 

The  Delaware   Presbytery  referring   to    L886,  Bays, 
'"It  has  pleased  our  glorious  L<>nl  t«»  grant    refn 
ings    from    his   presencee   t<>   n<>   less   than  eleven 


238  PRESB  YTERIA NISM  IN  THE 

our  churches,  and  as  the  result,  they  have  been  puri- 
fied, their  divisions  healed,  backsliders  have  been  re- 
claimed, the  hands  that  hung  down  have  been  lifted 
and  the  feeble  things  have  been  strengthened,  and  two 
hundred  and  twenty-two  communicants  added  to  them 
:and  others  expected.  The  1st,  2d  and  3d  Tomp- 
kins, Hancock,  Walton,  Delhi,  Franklin,  Harpersfield, 
Head  of  Delaware,  Middletown  and  Hamden  are 
especially  to  be  mentioned  in  this  connection.  Pro- 
tracted meetings  and  circular  conferences  of  churches, 
•conducted  very  much  like  protracted  meetings,  are  the 
means  that  have  been  used  and  blessed." 

The  General  Assembly  in  1837,  mentions  revivals  in 
Wampsville,  Lenox,  Peterboro,  Fayetteville,  Manlius, 
Syracuse  and  Lysander,  1st  and  2d  Utica  and  Rome, 
Augusta,  Litchfield,  Cooperstown,  Springfield,  Fly 
Creek,  Cherry  Valley,  Butternuts,  Homer,  Preble, 
most  of  the  congregations  in  Tioga  Presbytery  and 
several  in  Chenango.  The  Presbytery  of  Delaware  relates 
that  from  two  hundred  to  three  hundred  united  with  its 
•  I lurches.  The  Presbytery  of  Tioga  adds  Gilbertsville, 
Westford  and  Worcester  to  the  list  of  the  General  As- 
sembly, and  the  Presbytery  of  Oneida  adds  New  York 
Mills,  Vernon  Centre,  New  Hartford,  Litchfield,  Water- 
ville  and  Little  Falls.  The  Synod  of  Utica  makes 
Jin  nt  ion  of  Fulton  and  East  Oswego,  in  the  Presbytery 
of  Oswego,  and  Alexandria,  Evans  Mills.  Antwerp,  Sack- 
■ctts  Harbor  and  Watertown,  in  the  Piesbytery  of  Wa- 
tertown. 

In  its  Narrative  of  religion  for  1838.  the  Presbytery 
of  Oneida  relates:  "The First  Church,  and  the  Bleecker 
St.    Church,    Utica,    New    Hartford.   Little   Falls   and 


>YXOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  239* 

Rome  second,  have  enjoyed  special  revivals  of  religion. 
We  are  told  that  Vernon  and  Augusta  are  gladdened 
by  them  now.  and  that  there  is  increasing  seriousness 
at  Rome.  An  interesting  state  of  religion  has  existed 
in  Hamilton  College,  and  several  of  the  students  give 
evidence  <>i  conversion.''  Forty-two  were  added  to  the 
church  in  Cortlandville,  then  in  Geneva  Presbytery. 

The  religious  interest  in  Utica  this  year  began  under 
the  preaching  of  Elder  Jacob  Knapp.  He  gives  an  ac- 
count of  it  in  his  autobiography  : 

Although  there  had  been  much  prejudice  against  me  in  the 
city,  I  was  at  length  invited  there  and  commenced  in  the  Bethel 
Chapel,  West  Utica,  February,  1S38,  and  preached  night  and  day 
for  two  weeks,  and  during  the  time  there  were  some  conversions, 
and  many  were  awakened  and  Christians  aroused  to  action.  The 
place  becoming  too  small  to  contain  the  crowds  that  thronged  to 
hear  the  Word,  we  were  invited  to  the  Broad  Street  Baptist  Church 
and  to  the  first  and  second  Presbytertan  churches.  After  much 
prayer  and  deliberation  it  was  resolved  to  take  the  second  Presby- 
terian, because  of  it~  central  location  and  because  it  was  not  so 
large  as  to  make  a  fair-sized  congregation  appear  small.  But  the 
power  of  (jod  came  down  and  the  bouse  was  immediately  filled 
to  its  utmost  capacity.  After  remaining  here  for  about  three 
weeks,  it  was  found  necessary  to  remove  to  the  First  Presbyterian 
Church.  Here  I  preached  twenty-one  sermons,  besides  attending 
prayer  and  inquiry  meetings,  in  two  weeks,  making  the  period  of 
my  stay  in  L'tica  seven  weeks.        The  CSsee  of  pur.,  iction 

were  so  numerous  that  we  could  seldom  close  our  evening  servi- 
ces before  11  o'clock,  although  as  man)-  si  wished  to  retire  were 
seasonably  dismissed.      At  the  close  of   the    meeting  all    who  hail 

experienced  a  hop.-  during  the  revival  were  seated  in  a  body, 

making  a  company  of  nearl\   eight  hundred  ;  i  QOI  did  this 

Compose  all,  for  many  lived  in  the  .-urnuinding  villages       'Among 

the  converti  nrere  people  of  all  classes,  manj  of  them  merchants, 

doctors,  lawyers,    jodgSl   Snd    city  officials.      Four   attorneys   por- 
i  conversion  in  one  day." 


240  PRESBYTERIAN  ISM  IN  THE 

Hon.  Joshua  A.  Spencer,  widely  famed  as  a  lawyer  and  espe- 
cially eminent  in  the  annals  of  the  bar  as  an  advocate  before  a 
jury,  as  natural  as  a  child  when  at  the  height  of  his  distinction 
and  as  generous  as  a  prince,  and  Gen.  John  A.  Ostrom,  of  promi- 
nence likewise  in  the  legal  profession,  and  even  more  noted  for 
public  spirit  and  enterprise,  whose  great  aspiration  it  was  to  serve 
the  community  and  to  do  kindnesses  to  individuals,  entered  on 
the  religious  stage  of  their  lives  during  this  revival.  A  spectator 
of  the  scene  has  described  their  appearance,  when  lost  to  every 
object  and  being  but  salvation  and  the  Saviour,  they  stood  side 
by  side  with  a  colored  woman,  in  a  crowd  of  anxious  sinners,  who 
asked  the  prayers  of  those  who  had  access  to  God  and  prevailed 
with  him.     Five  of  the  converts  entered  the  gospel  ministry. 

1839-1849. 

This  space  was  not  eminently  distinguished  by  the 
operations  of  the  Spirit  and  yet  they  by  no  means  ceased. 
"  Millerism  "  quite  widely  spread  over  the  land  about 
midway  in  it,  and  was  mischievous,  of  course,  to  true 
religion,  and  an  explanation  in  part  of  its  decline. 

The  Presbytery  of  Oneida  states  that  Mt,  Vernon 
and  Sauquoit  are  the  only  churches  in  its  bounds 
blessed  with  revivals  in  1839,  between  fifty  and  sixty 
uniting  with  the  former  and  more  than  twenty  with 
the  latter. 

The  General  Assembly  describes  "  the  territory  of 
revivals  in  1840  as  one-half  of  the  ground  occupied  by 
its  churches,  and  states  that  from  12,000  to  15,000  were 
the  subjects  of  them,  the  means  being  special  fasting 
and  humiliation,  visits  to  the  impenitent  and  conversa- 
tions with  them,  social  meetings,  inquiry  meetings,  and 
continuous  exhibition  of  truth  in  preaching."  It  speaks 
of  the  "  intervals  between  them  as  diminishing,"  and 
it     represents  those   of  this  year    as  "  producing  less 


S  Y\UI)  0 F  CM X  Til .  I  /,  NE  H YORK.  2 4  L 

unprofitable  and  exhausting  excitement,  and  as  being 
conducted  more  generally  by  the  pastors  alone 

The  Synod  of  Utica  relates  that  the  special  influences 
of  the  Spirit  descended  on  Potsdam,  Canton,  Parishville. 
and  De  Kalb,  in  St.  Lawrence  Presbytery,  New  York 
Mills,  First  Congregational.  (Jtica;  second, Rome ;  New 
Hartford,  Whitesboro,  Cassville  and  Waterville,  in 
Oneida  Presbytery,  and  Fly  Creek  in  Otsego  Presby- 
tery,— that  the  converts  were  not  received  immedi- 
ately to  the  church,  but  in  some  cases  arranged  into 
classes,  under  the  instruction  of  pastors  and  elders, 
— that  the  churches  were  inquiring  for  the  old  paths 
and  endeavoring  to  walk  in  them,  and  that  there  was 
less  feverish  excitement  among  them  and  that  they  have 
learned  by  experience  that  it  is  only  by  abounding  in 
the  work  of  the  Lord  under  settled  pastors  that  they 
could  be  built  up. 

TheSynod  of  (Jtica  mentions  revivals  during  1841  2. 
in  first  Pome,  Vernon  and  Holland  Patent,  in  Oneida  : 
New  Lisbon  and  Worcester,  in  Otsego:  Phcenix,  in  Os- 
wego; Sacketts  Harbor,  in  Watertown,  and  De  Kalb, 
in  St.  Lawrence  Presbyteries. 

"In  the  month  of  July,"  Rev.  James  Gardner  writes, 
"  Rev.    Mi-.  Wick--  began  services  in  Canton  and  the 

church  was  crowded,  and  though  it  was  having  time, 
the  meetings  continued  with  unabated  zeal  t'oi  about 
five  weeks.      Mr.   Wickes  then  left  and  was  absent,  for  a 

mouthy  and  returning  then,  he  held  services  for  three 
weeks  more  Over  one  hundred  souls  are  supposed  to 
have  turned  to  the  Lord  at  that  time,  and  in  September, 

thirty-nine  persons  were  added  10  OXL1  communion,  t\\» 
of  whom   are  elders  and    one   a   d6A0On;    tweiiU  B< 


242  PRESBYTEB1AN1SM  IN  THE 

were  received  the  December  following,  one  of  whom 
was  afterwards  ordained  to  the  eldership,  another  is  now 
clerk  of  our  Society,  and  the  third  a  useful  minister  in 
a  sister  evangelical  church." 

The  Presbytery  of  Oneida  speaks  of  the  "  distillation 
of  the  Spirit  like  gentle  dew,  in  1841,  on  Vernon  and 
New  Hartford"  and  of  "showers  of  divine  grace  "  in 
Rome,  New  York  Mills,  Whitesboro  and  Holland 
Patent  "  In  the  last  named  church  apparently  insur- 
mountable difficulties  vanished  away." 

In  1843,  the  General  Assembly  said  "  There  is  scarce- 
ly an  exception  to  the  good  tidings  of  great  joy  which 
the  Presbyteries  bring  to  our  cars,"  and  among  these  it 
cites  Otsego,  Oneida,  Utica,  Tioga,  Delaware,  Cortland 
and  Onondaga.  The  Synod  of  Utica  said,  "  From  the 
Presbytery  of  Watertown  we  hear  of  the  outpouring  of 
the  Spirit  on  Watertown,  Sacketts  Harbor,  Adams  and 
Cape  Vincent.  The  Black  River  Institute  shared  in 
the  blessing  and  a  number  of  the  pupils  have  devoted 
themselves  to  the  gospel  ministry.  Several  of  the 
churches  in  St.  Lawrence  and  Oswego  Presbyteries 
have  likewise  been  refreshed.  At  Sauquoit,  in  Oneida 
Presbytery,  about  fifty  were  awakened  into  life.  In  the 
Presbytery  of  Utica  the  same  may  be  said  of  as  many 
in  the  feeble  church  of  Oriskany,  under  the  labors  of 
a  devoted  young  pastor,  and  of  about  thirty  in  a  school 
district  near  Rome,  and  of  a  considerable  number  in  one 
part  of  the  congregation  of  New  York  Mills,  and  of  a 
few  in  New  Hartford,  while  that  church  generally  was 
much  revived.  In  Otsego  Presbytery  "  about  thirty  have 
have  been  added  to  the  church  in  Cooperstown  and 
twenty-three  to  Middlefleld  and  twenty-four  to  New 


STXOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  243 

Berlin,  and  in  Cherry  Valley  an  important  and  interest- 
ing work  of  grace  has  been  wrought."  The  Synod 
adds:  "The  revivals  reported  have  been  more  silent 
and  unobtrusive  than  some  in  former  years.  The  labors 
of  evangelists  have  not  been  called  for  to  any  general 
extent.  The  pastors  of  the  several  churches,  aided  by 
neighboring  brethren,  have  performed  the  labor  in  them. 
The  people  have  shown  a  new  relish  for  the  doctrines 
of  grace  and  these  have  been  the  topics  of  sermons  and 
it  is  gratifying  to  learn  that  the  Assembly's  catechism 
is  generally  taught." 

The  Oneida  Presbytery  received  Narratives  from  but 
three  of  its  churches  this  year — Vernon,  Verona  and 
Oneida  Castle,  but  all  these  reported  an  interesting 
state  of  religion.  A  series  of  lectures  on  the  Confession 
of  Faith,  at  Verona,  designed  primarily  for  the  young 
converts,  resulted  in  visible  and  happy  em 

Erroneous  views  of  the  second  coming  of  Christ  pro- 
duced some  unhealthy  excitement  this  year  in  Utica, 
Rome  and  elsewhere 

The  Presbytery  of  Onondaga  reported,  "Upon  the 
churches  in  Syracuse.  1  etteville,  Onondaga,  La  Fay- 
ette, Lysander,  Camillua  and  De  Witt,  the  Spirit  has 
tended  with  his  converting  and  reviving  influence 
and  additions  have  been  made  to  nearly  all  the  churches, 
amounting  to  two  hundred  or  over." 

The  Presbytery  of  Chenango  reported,  "In  a  ten 
churches  the  Lord  baa  made  bare  bis  arm  and  glorified 
his  aame  through  the  humbling  of  his  people  and  the 
conversion  of  sinners,"  and  the  Presbytery  of  Tioga  re 
ported,  "The  Lord  has  heard  the  prayers  of  his  Saints 


244  ntUSBYTERIANISM  IN  THE 

and  poured  out  his  spirit  extensively  on  some  of  our 
churches." 

In  1844  the  Synod  of  Utica  notices  Buel  in  the  Pres- 
bytery of  Otsego,  first  and  second  Home,  Holland  Patent, 
Western  and  Salisbury,  in  the  Presbytery  of  Utica,  as 
"  blessed  with  the  refreshing  influences  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,"  and  in  1845  it  speaks  of  Brasher  Falls,  in  St. 
Lawrence,  organized  that  year  and  doubled  during  the 
course  of  it,  and  the  second  Oswego  as  the  only  exceptions 
to  the  remark  that  its  territory  had  been  "  like  GKlboa, 
upon  which  neither  dew  nor  rain  descended,"  and  its 
report  for  1846  was  no  more  cheering.  Union  and 
Windsor  alone,  so  far  as  is  known,  escaped  a  similar 
dearth  in  Tioga  and  Chenango  Presbyteries,  from  1844 
to  1847.  The  Presbytery  of  Cortland  in  1845  states, 
"  Several  of  our  churches  have  enjoyed  revivals  of  re- 
ligion," but  no  names  are  given,  and  in  1846  "there  has 
been  a  melancholy  destitution  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  most 
of  our  churches,  and  as  the  consequence,  an  estrange- 
ment of  feeling  among  brethren,  exciting  and  distract- 
ing discussions,  a  disposition  to  withdraw  confidence 
from  our  long  tried  and  Heaven  prospered  missionary 
societies  and  a  diversion  of  sympathy,  and  prayer  and 
help  from  the  Redeemer's  cause, — but  while  deploring 
this,  we  gratefully  note  that  three  of  our  churches,  Mc- 
Grawville,  Harford  and  Pitcher  have  been  greatly 
refreshed  by  seasons  of  merciful  visitation."  The  Pres- 
bytery of  Onondaga  states  in  1845,  "In  some  of  our 
churches  there  have  been  interesting  revivals,"  but  no 
names  are  given,  and  in  1846,  "No  congregation  has 
witnessed  a  general  revival  except  Lysander.  Seasons 
of  refreshing,  however,  have  been  granted  in  Salina, 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  k245 

Orville,  First  Syracuse  and  Amboy,  and  in  less  meas- 
ure in  Ridgeville,  Fayetteville  and  Onondaga  Hill." 
Marcellus,  then  connected  with  the  Presbytery  of  Ge- 
neva, may  be  also  mentioned. 

The  Presbytery  of  Utica  relates  that  in  1847,  five  or 
six  of  its  churches,  not  naming  them,  but  First,  Utica, 
notably,  had  enjoyed  a  work  of  grace,  and  it  observes : 
''The  following  features  of  it  are  worthy  of  remark  :  It 
was  begun  and  carried  on  in  nearly  every  instance  by 
the  established  means :  it  was  marked  by  deep  solemnity 
rather  than  by  great  excitement,  and  a  large  majority 
of  the  converts  were  from  families  in  which  the  Abra- 
hamic  Covenant  had  been  faithfully  regarded.'  The 
Presbytery  of  Onondaga  relates  in  the  same  year: 
"The church  in  Manlius  has  enjoyed  a  precious  revival, 
which  resulted  in  the  hopeful  conversion  of  forty  souls. 
The  churches  of  Salina,  Fayetteville,  Pompey,  Pompey 
Centre,  Amboy  and  others  have  been  more  or  lesc 
freshed,"  and  in  this  year  also  the  Synod  of  Utica  re- 
lates: "Converts  bave  been  added  to  the  First  Church, 
Utica,  at  every  communion,  and  an  increasing  number 
of  late.  Fifteen  nave  professed  conversion  in  Lowville, 
and  among  them  persons  of  prominence  and  influence, 
and  twenty-five  h  l  I  >nd, 

and  as  many  are  expected  on  a  subsequent  opportunity/' 

Early  in  L848,  the  Presbytery  of  Watertown  urejo 
that  the  Holy  Spirit  was  present  with  not  lees  than  five 
of  its  churches,  convincing  and   converting  sun,. 
11 1  fader  the  labors  of  their  past  i  be  <  mon< 

Presbytery,  "tbreeof  our  churches  report  revival! 
religion,  resulting  at  Otisco  in  fifty  hopeful  con 


246  PRESBYTER1ANISM  IN  THE 

in  Park  Church,  Syracuse,  forty,  and  in  Liverpool 
twenty.  These  revivals  have  been  characterized  by 
great  stillness  and  solemnity."  "The  Lord"  is  the  lan- 
guage of  Tioga  Presbytery,  "has  greatly  animated  and 
strengthened  the  churches  of  Camden,  Conklin,  Owego, 
Berkshire  and  Binghamton.  Probably  not  less  than 
two  hundred  have  confessed  Christ  in  them.  The 
preaching  of  the  gospel,  Sabbath  school  and  Bible 
class  instruction,  prayer  meetings,  inquiry  meetings 
and  personal  conversation  were  the  means  employed." 
"Most  of  our  churches,"  says  the  Chenango  Presbytery, 
"are  supplied  with  pastors,  and  grow  in  regard  for 
sound  doctrine,  order  and  stability.  In  several  of  the 
largest  a  work  of  grace  has  been  experienced.  Norwich 
and  Sherburne  have  been  most  distinguished  in  this 
respect." 

1849-1859. 

The  General  Assembly  in  1849  spoke  of  "  revivals 
of  religion,  of  greater  or  less  power,  in  some  few  churches 
in  every  part  of  the  land,  and  of  grateful  refreshings 
within  nearly  all  our  Presbyteries."  Eight  churches, — 
Gilberts ville,  Brownville,  Westmoreland,  Home, Whites- 
boro,  Oriskany,  Camden  and  Canton,  were  reported  by 
the  Synod  of  Utica,  as  "visited  by  revivals  of  religion." 
"Early  in  the  year,"  the  Presbytery  of  Onondaga  re- 
ports, "the  Lord  appeared  suddenty  in  one  of  our 
churches,  and  a  gracious  and  powerful  revival  of  reli- 
gion ensued,  and  since  then  he  has  come  in  mercy  and 
might  to  several  others."  "Cortland ville,  Homer  and 
Pitcher,  according  to  the  Presbytery  of  Cortland,  "have 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  247 

enjoyed  revivals,  and  it  seems  evident  that  our  churches 
are  becoming  more  stable  in  the  doctrines  of  grace." 

The  Presbytery  of  Onondaga  was  permitted  to  record 
that  in  1850  nearly  all  its  churches  had  accessions  to 
their  membership,  and  that  Pompey,  Cazenovia,  and 
Park  Church,  Syracuse,  have  witnessed  the  special 
power  of  God  in  the  conversion  of  souls.'1  "Revivals 
were  enjoyed  in  some  few  of  the  congregations"  in 
Utica  Presbytery,  and  the  Synod  of  Utica  relates  that 
"some  of  the  Presbyteries  report  very  interesting  revi- 
vals in  some  of  their  churches,  and  gentle  refreshings 
in  others,  and  as  the  result  large  additions  have  been 
made  to  a  few  and  considerable  addition  to  many."  In 
his  discourse  at  the  semi  centennial  of  the  First  Church 
in  Oswego,  the  late  Dr.  Condit  speaks  of  this  year  as 
memorable  in  its  history  from  the  dispensation  of  the 
Spirit. 

The  Presbytery  of  Cortland  reported  in  1851,  "In 
nearly  all  our  churches  there  have  been  marked  indi- 
cations of  the  divine  presence,  preeminently  Pitcher, 
and  Homer,  Marathon,  Cortlandville  and  Summer  Hill 
eminently." 

The  Presbyter}  of  Oneida  refers  "with  unspeakable 

gratitude  to  the  conversion  of  sinners  in  nearly  all  its 
churches  during   1852,  and  of  lar{  dons  to  Hol- 

land Patent,  New  Eartford,  New  York  Mills  and  Ver- 
non Centre,  and  of  tokens  then  visible  of  copious  re- 
freshings elsewhere."  Fifty-nine  were  added  this  year 
t<>  the  church  in  Ogdensburg. 

In  L853,  Volney,  Fulton,  Laurens,  Milford,  Bolland 
Patent,  Ne^i  Eartford,  New  York  Mills,Vernon  Centre 
and  [Jtica  are  inent ioned  by  the  Synod  of  I'tiea.  as 
"signally  blessed  l>\  the  work  *>i  the  Il<>lv  spirit."' 


248  PRESBYTERIANISM  IN  THE 

The  Presbytery  of  Cortland  reported  for  1854  to  the 
General  Assembly:  "Several  of  our  churches  have 
enjoyed  abundant  outpourings  of  the  Spirit.  Homer 
has  received  sixty  by  profession,  Cortland  twenty, 
Whitney's  Point  forty-two,  Lisle  ten,  and  Freetown  ten. 

In  1855  the  Synod  of  Susquehannah  speaks  of  "the 
cheering  manifestations  of  divine  grace  in  Gilbertsville, 
Coventry,  Guilford  and  Walton,"  and  Cortland ville  re- 
ceived twenty-six  more  to  fellowship. 

In  1856  the  Synod  of  Onondaga  names  Baldwins- 
wille,  Fayetteville,  Truxton,  Lisle,  McGraw ville,  Bing- 
ham ton,  Union  and  Conklin  as  "reporting  the  special 
presence  of  the  Divine  Spirit,"  and  the  Presbytery  of 
Tioga  describes  it  as  "characterized"  within  the  bounds 
of  that  body,  "by  unusual  permanence." 

In  1857  the  Synod  of  Utica  was  "able  to  report  revi- 
vals in  some  six  or  eight  churches." 

1858  was  the  memorable  year  in  this  decade, — mem- 
orable in  the  history  of  revivals, — memorable  for  the 
power  and  extent  and  especially  for  the  character  of  its 
revivals.  Providence  made  preparation  for  grace.  Com- 
mercial reverses  and  embarrassments  throughout  the 
country  produced  general  seriousness.  Broken  up  and 
alarmed,  people  looked  about  for  a  refuge  and  resource. 
The  comfort  and  support  of  religion  were  sought.  Mul- 
titudes betook  themselves  to  the  sanctuary.  Yast  as- 
semblages hung  on  the  proclamations  of  truth,  and 
with  throbbing  hearts  and  flooded  eyes,  bowed  in 
prayer.  "What  must  I  do  to  be  saved  ?"  was  the  look 
of  an  anxious  community  and  the  cry  of  its  quivering 
lips,  and  widely  following  this,  were  the  beamings  of 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  249 

hope  and  the  songs  of  joy.  Considered  apart  from  the 
divine  agency  in  it,  the  feeling  was  spontaneous.  Men 
did  nothing  to  arouse  it.  And  the  exercises  called  for 
by  it  were  the  promptings  of  the  occasion,  and  no  hu- 
man arrangements.  Meetings  conducted  themselves. 
Public  services  were  largely  informal,  and  more  fre- 
quently directed  by  laymen  than  by  clergymen,  and  con- 
sisting principally  of  volunteer  addresses  and  prayers 
and  impromptu  singing,  and  it  is  wonderful  that  thus 
left  to  themselves,  they  regulated  themselves.  No  dis- 
orderliness,  no  wildness,  no  unseemliness  occurred.  The 
most  voluntary  of  revivals  in  its  origin,  it  was  the  most 
unexceptionable  in  its  methods  and  the  most  healthful 
in  its  action. 

The  General  Assembly  spoke  of  itself  as  '"meeting 
in  the  midst  of  a  great  awakening.  Members  come 
from  revivals  to  mingle  in  one  at  the  place  of  their 
convening." 

The  Synod  of  Utica  ascribes  the  origin  of  this  widely 

extended  revival  to  ''the  prayer  meeting,  and  there  it 

grew  and  spread  until  it  traversed  the  land.     Its  great 

cher  has  been  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  the  crowded 

hall  of  supplicating  people  his  audience  room." 

The  Synod  of  Onondaga  pronounced  the  year  "the 
mosl  fraught  with  blessings  of  anv  in  the  history  of  this 
body,  and  we  thus  add  our  testimony  t<»  what  is  given 
in  every  part  of  the  land.  There  is  much  in  this  mar- 
vellous display  of  divine  grace  thai  cannot  he  told.  We 
can  only  speak  in  genera]  term-.  We  cannot  fully 
portray  a  single  Bcene  among  the  many  crowded  with 
thrilling  incident.  Hut  there  are  several  things  we 
may    notice;      1.    Tlic    universality    of   the  work.      \\Y 


250  PRESBYTERIANISM  IN  THE 

do  not  recall  one  of  our  churches  that  has  not  been 
affected  by  it.  The  only  one  within  the  Presbytery  of 
Tioga  that  seemed  to  be  unmoved,  is  now  wrought 
upon  beyond  any  precedent  since  its  organization, 
nearly  half  a  century  since.  2.  Ordinary  means  origi- 
nated and  carried  forward  the  work.  Each  pastor  has 
been  the  Evangelist,  with  no  desire  on  his  part,  or  that 
of  his  people,  for  any  other,  and  no  new  measures  or 
doctrines  or  attractive  eccentricities  have  been  employ- 
ed. And  if  the  ministry  has  not  been  as  conspicuous 
as  in  past  revivals,  it  is  only  because  the  elders  and 
members  of  the  churches  have  prayed  and  labored 
more.  3.  The  prominence  given  to  prayer,  and  also 
the  union  in  it  of  Christians  of  different  denominations 
at  daily  meetings  for  it.  4.  The  impulse  given  to  Sab- 
bath schools,  Bible  classes,  catechetical  instruction, 
family  nurture  based  on  the  gracious  covenant,  and 
kindred  agencies.  5.  The  expectation  awakened  and 
cherished  that  the  Lord  is  about  to  do  still  greater 
things  for  his  people." 

The  Presbytery  of  Utica  was  of  the  opinion  that  "the 
state  of  religion  within  its  bounds  never  inspired  more 
gratitude  and  praise.  Nearly  one- half  of  its  churches 
have  enjoyed  precious  revivals,  and  scarcely  one  of  the 
whole  number  but  has  received  refreshing  showers  or 
the  gentle  dew.  Preeminently  among  those  most  dis- 
tinguished are  Vernon  Centre,  Sauquoit,  Utica,  Whites- 
boro,  Clayville,  New  Hartford,  Pome,  Boonville,  New 
York  Mills,  Deerfield,  Waterville,  Newport  and  Au- 
gusta. A  new  and  much  improved  character  has  been 
given  to  the  churches,  and  especially  have  the  obliga- 
tion and  scope  and  efficacy  of  lay  agency  been  taught. 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  251 

Prayer  was  first  and  chief  among  the  instrumentalities 
employed,  and  particularly,  social  prayer  meetings, 
which  were  held  daily  in  many  towns,  and  attended 
and  freely  participated  in  by  Christians  of  every  name. 
Comparatively  little  addition  was  made  to  the  ordinary 
preaching,  and  in  no  instance  was  an  Evangelist  called 
in. 

Hamilton  College,  situated  within  our  bounds,  and 
so  closely  connected  with  our  branch  of  the  church 
universal,  has  shared  in  the  prevailing  blessing,  and 
several  of  its  most  promising  students  have  entered  the 
school  of  Christ. 

The  effect  of  the  revival  has  been  good  without  qual- 
ification or  admixture.  No  reaction  has  set  in.  As  the 
feelings  of  Christians  were  never  over-wrought,  their 
tension  remains,  and  no  prejudices  against  them  or 
against  religion  wTere  provoked  in  the  community,  and 
while  large  accessions  have  been  made  to  the  member- 
ship of  the  churches,  divisions  have  been  healed,  the 
debts  of  congregations  cancelled,  and  the  scale  of  be- 
nevolent contributions  kept  up,  notwithstanding  the 
pressure  of  the  times. 

The  records  of  Mohawk  Presbytery  contain  do  nar- 
rativeof  religion  or  statistical  reports,  and  it  is  impos- 
sible fairly  to  represent  the  Btateof  its  churches.  West- 
minster, Utica,  however,  is  known  to  have  added  twen- 
ty-four,  on  examination,  to  its  members   the   present 

year. 

"The  greal  revival,"  is  the  language  of  the  Synod 
of  Susquehannah,  "has  been  fell  to  some  extent 
throughout  all  the  churches ;  but  most  deeplj  in  Gil* 
bertsville,    New    Berlin,    Mill  ford   and   Walton.     The 


25 2  PHESB  YTER1A  A  ISM  IN  7 HE 

healthfulness  of  the  work  is  apparent  from  the  state  of 
religious  feeling  left  behind.  Prayer  meetings  and  the 
House  of  Grod  retain  their  attractiveness,  and  Sabbath 
schools  and  Bible  classes  are  endowed  with  new  inter- 
est. The  shorter  catechism  is  establishing  itself  more 
rirmly,  and  more  prominently  in  the  religious  culture  of 
our  children,  and  the  great  schemes  of  benevolence 
have  been  sustained  at  the  former  standard,  notwith- 
standing the  prevailing  causes  of  depression." 

"We  have  shared"  says  the  Presbytery  of  Cort- 
land, "  in  the  spiritual  blessings  so  generally  bestowed. 
Especially  is  this  true  of  Homer,  Cortland,  Cincinna- 
ti and  Pitcher,  while  most  of  the  other  churches 
report  cases  of  conversion." 

The  Presbytery  of  Onondaga  gives  the  following 
among  other  quotations  from  the  reports  of  its  churches : 
"  Fifteen  were  added  to  our  church  at  the  last  com- 
munion, and  fifteen  more  will  be  at  the  next."  Ten  of 
these  converts  belonged  to  the  household  of  the  delegate 
who  brought  up  this  report.  "  For  fourteen  }*ears  the 
Lord  had  hid  his  face  from  us."  Fifty  were  hopefully 
converted  here,  and  while  the  church  was  earnestly 
praying  for  two  young  men  in  Hamilton  College,  intel- 
ligence came  that  they  were  heard  and  answered. 
Among  twelve  added  to  the  church  was  an  old  man 
of  seventy,  who  for  forty  years  had  been  a  curse  to  his 
family  through  intemperance.  The  first  fruits  were 
an  Englishman  and  his  wife.  He  said  with  deep  emo- 
tion :  I  have  said  my  prayers  for  more  than  fifty  years, 
but  have  only  now]  begun  to  pray.  Among  the 
hopeful  converts  are  several  papists.  Said  one  of  them, 
speaking  with  emotion  that  thrilled  the  meeting :  "  I 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW    YORK.  253 

used  to  fear  the  priest,  but  have  learned  to  fear  God  ; 
I  used  to  confess  to  the  priest,  but  confess  now  to  God  ; 
I  was  a  poor,  dark  miserable  sinner,  but  now  I  rejoice 
in  Christ  Jesus,  and  no  man  has  done  it ;  the  Lord  has 
done  it,  praise  Him!  praise  linn  !  "  "  One  man  ovei 
fifty  years  of  age,  had  been  South  and  became  a  slave- 
holder and  a  violent  defender  of  slavery,  and  was 
divorced  from  his  wife,  and  had  killed  a  man  in  a  kind 
of  duel  and  been  tried  for  his  life,  and  possessed  supe- 
rior abilities.  Conviced  of  sin,  he  would  reply  to  every 
suggestion  of  the  Saviour,  'Yes,  but  not  for  me,  I  am 
infinitely  guilty;  you  know  nothing  about  it;  I  am  not 
to  be  forgiven  like  other  sinners.'  At  the  close  of  a 
sermon  to  a  crowed  house,  he  came  foward  to  the 
pulpit  and  asked  if  he  could  say  a  word ;  'yes,  was 
the  answer.'  'I  have  been  an  unspeakably  great  sin- 
ner, but  hope  that  Jesus  has  forgiven  even  me;'  and 
then  requesting  liberty  to  pray,  he  made  the  most  peni- 
tent confession  to  God,  and  east  himself  on  his  mercy 
in  Christ.'1  Sixty-one  out  of  one  hundred  hopeful  con- 
verts joined  that  church  in  a  single  day. 

A-  the  Ogdensburg  book  contains  \w>  entries  of  nar- 
ratives of  religion  or  statistical  reports,  there  is  no 
reliable  information  to  be  readily  had  o(  the  state  of  its 
churches  generally,  from  time  to  tun.' ;  but  the  manual 
of  the  Ogdensburg  Church  notices  L858  as  the  pear  of 
one  of  its  revivals,  and  sixty-eight  were  then  admitted 
to  its  fellowship 

Revivals  of  religion  <li<l  not  pervade  this  period, 
though  in  the  course  of  it,  and  particularly  in   L868 

r 


254  PRESBTTERIANISM  IN  THE 

they  were  of  considerable  extent  and  power.  No 
knowledge  is  had  of  any  of  consequence  in  1859.  The 
General  Assembly  represents  them  as  experienced  "  in 
nearly  every  Presbytery,  though  not  particularly  pow- 
erful" in  1860.  Ogdensburg,  which  received  an  addi- 
tion of  fifty-eight,  was  apparently  the  most  favored  of 
the  churches  of  the  Synod.  In  1861,  the  Synod  of 
Onondaga  states :  "  Kevivals  of  interest  and  power  are 
reported  in  Virgil,  Cincinnatus  and  Dryden,  and  grate- 
ful refreshings  in  several  other  places." 
The  Presbytery  of  Delaware  states : 

"  God's  Spirit  seemed  to  be  hovering  over  us  during  the  week 
of  prayer;  and,  immediately  after,  while  the  promise  then  given 
seemed  to  fail  in  many  of  the  churches,  and  was  but  partially  ful- 
filled in  others,  in  five  of  the  number  it  was  largely  performed. 
The  pastors  of  some  of  them  were  detained  from  our  last  stated 
meeting,  because  they  could  not  be  spared  from  watching  and 
laboring  at  home.  The  ingathering  was  largely  from  Sabbath 
schools,  and  the  children  of  the  covenant  were  not  passed  by.  One 
brother  reaped  an  abundant  harvest  from  a  field  on  which  he  had 
lavished  anxieties,  and  labors,  and  prayers  for  twenty  years." 

In  1862,  the  Synod  of  Susquehannah  says  : 

Glorious  revivals  of  religion  have  been  enjoyed  in  several  of 
of  our  churches,  and  the  history  of  some  of  them  is  very  thrill- 
ing: 14  have  been  added  to  Jefferson,  27  to  Deposit,  30  to  Coven- 
try first,  and  70  to  Coventry  second,  50  to  Nineveh,  40  to  Guilford 
and  15  to  Walton. 

The  General  Assembly  states  that  in  1863  "a  large 
part  of  the  narratives  mention  revivals  of  religion,"  and 
Watertown,  Utica,  Onondaga,  Chenango,  Otsego  and 
Oswego  are  named  among  others.  "Several  of  our 
churches"  (Fayetteville  and  McGrawville  of  the  num- 
ber,) the  Synod  of  Onondaga  states,  "have  enjoyed 
quite  powerful  revivals,  and  others  have  been  blessed 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  255 

in  a  less  degree."  The  Presbytery  -  of  Utica  bad 
a  cheering  record  of  revivals  to  make.  Some  were 
added  to  nearly  every  church,  and  "much  peo- 
ple" to  several.  "  Not  less  than  ninety  indulged  hope 
in  the  different  congregations  of  New  Hartford — 
thirty-six  of  whom  have  already  united  with  the 
Presbyterian  Church.  Thirty-two  have  been  received 
at  Whitesboro,  and  the  church  much  revived,  and 
thirty-one,  from  fourteen  to  twenty  years  of  age,  by  the 
church  at  Eome,  and  a  considerable  number  by  the 
church  in  Hamilton  College.  The  revival  at  Utica  was 
one  of  the  most  extensive  and  precious  ever  known 
there,  its  subjects  being  chiefly  among  the  young, 
though  many  adults  and  heads  of  families  are  reckoned 
with  them.  A  few  cases  of  seriousness  appeared  at 
Vernon  Centre  in  the  summer,  occasioned  in  part  1  >y  a 
striking  Providence  in  the  community,  but  principally 
from  no  outward  cause.  Three  of  them  resulted  in 
conversion  by  the  close  of  the  summer,  and  the  others 
as  the  first  fruits  of  the  revival  which  followed.  In 
December,  meetii  a  to  ^n■  held  in  private, which 

increased  in  frequency  and  attendance.  The  hearts  oi 
church  members  began  to  melt,  and  the  impenitent 
asked  an  interest  iii  their  prayers.   The  week  of  prayer 

gave  a  new  impulse  to  the  work,  and  the  meetings  were 

removed  to  the  church,  ami  continued  the  following 

week',  and    then  the    week    after,  and    s<  >  were   kept    up 

from  week  to  wee  yeral  months.     Slow  progress 

ted  i"  be  made  A  :••.  only  at  a  time  were  inquir- 
ing, and  the  attendants  at  the  meetings  were  not  nu- 
merous, and  some  professing  Christians  were  hardly 
aware  of  the  presence  of  tin- Spirit.     It  was  even  said 


2  5  6  PRESB  YTERIA  NISM  IN  THE 

that  no  general  blessing  could  be  expected  because  of 
some  existing  evils.  But  some  toiled  and  piuyed  from 
the  beginning.  At  times,  "when  quite  a  number  found 
peace  in  believing,  the  work  seemed  to  pause,  and  then 
anxiety,  activity  and  prayer  were  aroused,  and  quickly 
following  were  conversions  again.  Forty-three  have 
been  brought  into  the  church,  and  more  will  follow." 
Foilyy-one  were  received  to  the  Westminster  Church  at 
a  single  communion — the  largest  number  at  any  one 
time  since  the  organization  of  that  church. 

"  Three  of  the  four  Presbyteries11  of  the  Synod  of 
Onondaga  "reported  revivals  of  religion'1  in  1864. 
"Some  of  them  extensive  and  powerful." 

The  same  Synod  in  1865  records: 

Onondaga  Presbytery  reports  a  revival  in  Cazenovia,  Cortland 
Presbytery,  in  Homer,  and  Tioga  Presbytery  in  three  of  its 
churches. 

In  1866,  the  Synod  of  Onondaga  says  : 

Seldom,  if  ever,  have  the  influences  of  the  Spirit  been  so 
diffusive  in  our  borders.  All  the  churches  in  Auburn,  both  the 
churches  in  Syracuse,  Baldwinsville,  Amboy,  Pompey,  Biugham- 
ton  and  Owego  mention  large  additions.  The  church  of  Nichols, 
hitherto  feeble,  has  been  doubled,  enabling  it  to  erect  a  suitable 
place  of  worship. 

The  General  Assembly  describes  1867  as  "a  year  of 
Ilk'  right  hand  of  the  Most  High,"  and  represents 
Watertown  and  Utica  as  among  the  Presbyteries  where 
it  was  displayed. 

The  Synod  of  Onondaga  in  1869,  reports  "revivals 
of  much  power"  in  several  of  its  churches — sixty-nine 
being  added  to  the  church  at  Skaneateles,  and  the 
Presbyteryof  Onondaga  reports  :  ''The  Lord  has  richly 
displayed  his  mercy  in  several  of  our  churches." 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  257 

The  mind  of  the  church  was  fixed  for  a  considerable 
portion  of  this  decade  on  the  reunion  of  the  severed 
parts  of  its  broken  organism,  and  so  diverted  perhaps 
from  its  spiritual  condition.  But,  however  the  fact  may 
be  explained,  certain  it  is  that  revivals  of  religion 
within  the  bounds  of  the  Synod  diminished  in  number 
and  declined  in  power  and  dwindled  in  extent, 

CONTROVERSIES   OVER   THE   REVIVALS  OF    1826-6,   AND 
THEIR    MORE    IMMEDIATE    SUCCESSORS. 

"The  Oneida  County  Revivals''  of  1825-6,  and  those 
that  followed  them  for  ten  years  in  Central  and  West- 
ern New  York,  were  the  occasions  of  violent  discus- 
sions and  animosities  in  the  Presbyterian  Church 
throughout  the  land.  While  they  call  for  separate  and 
special  remark,  the  brevity  to  which  we  are  compelled 
necessitates  a  very  incomplete  narrative  of  the  facts. 

REV.   CHARLES   Q.   FINNEY — HIS    LIFE. 

The  Rev.  Charles  G.  Finney  was  "the  bead  and 
front  of  the  offending."  "Finneyism,"  in  popular 
phrase,  described  the  character  of  the  revivals  and  the 
system  on  which  tluy  were  conducted,  and  to  minds 
at  a  distance  from  the  scenes  of  them,  and  extensively 
over  the  country,  the  term  expressed  the  extreme  of 
heterodoxy,  disorder  and  extravagance  A  knowl< 
of  the  man  is  therefore  essential  to  an  understanding 
of  the  subject,  and  happily  thai  is  fully  attainable  now. 
Bis  curly  life  is  more  summarily  related  in  a  private 
letter  than  in  his  A.utobi< igraphy : 


258  PRESBYTERIANISM  IN  THE 

I  was  born  in  Warren,  Litchfield  county,  Ct.,  the  29th  of  August, 
1792.  When  I  was  two  years  old,  my  parents  removed  to  what 
was  then  called  Brothertown,  Oneida  county,  New  York,  subse- 
quently the  home  of  a  tribe  of  Indians.  The  white  families  were 
obliged  to  remove,  and  my  father  purchased  land  and  removed  to 
the  parish  of  Hanover,  now  Kirkland,  but  then  a  part  of  the  large 
township  of  Paris,  in  the  same  county.  This  removal  was  earlier 
than  my  recollection.  I  remained  in  Hanover,  or  Kirkland,  and 
went  to  school,  summer  and  winter,  until  about  sixteen  years  of 
age.  I  do  not  remember  the  exact  date.  My  father  then  removed 
to  Henderson,  Jefferson  county,  N.  Y.,  where  I  taught  school  for 
a  time,  but  there  were  no  schools  in  which  I  could  push  my  edu- 
cation. Soon  after  I  was  twenty  years  of  age,  I  went  East  and 
spent  about  four  years  in  teaching,  and  attending  high  school  for 
a  time.  I  had  it  in  mind  to  enter  Yale  College,  but  yielded  to 
the  advice  of  my  instructor  who  was  a  graduate  of  that  Institu- 
tion. He  said  that  at  the  rate  of  progress  I  was  making,  I  could 
easily  pass  over  the  whole  curriculum  in  two  years,  and  that 
I  could  not  afford  to  spend  four  years  for  a  diploma.  I  believed 
him,  and  relinquished  the  idea  of  entering  college,  and  arranged 
to  go  South  and  teach  in  an  Academy, with  the  design  of  pursuing 
my  studies  at  the  same  time.  But  I  was  overruled  in  this,  and 
returned  to  my  parents  in  Jefferson  county.  My  mother  was 
infirm,  and  plead  so  hard  for  me  to  remain  near  her,  that  I  gave 
up  a  further  literary  course,  and  commenced  the  study  of  law  in 
the  office  of  Benjamin  Wright  (afterwards  Benjamin  Wright  and 
David  Wardwell),  at  Adams.  After  remaining  there  about  four 
years  I  was  converted  to  Christ,  and  soon  after  commenced  the 
study  of  Theology.  I  was  licensed  to  preach  by  the  Presbytery 
of  St.  Lawrence  in  the  spring  of  1824,*  and  soon  after  went  into 

*  Adams,  Dec.  30,  1823,  is  the  exact  date  of  Mr.  Finney's  licen- 
sure, according  to  the  Minutes  of  the  Presbytery.  Mr.  Finney 
was  ordained  as  an  Evangelist  by  the  same  body  in  "the  Metho- 
dist meeting  house"  at  Evans  Mills,  July  1,  1824,  Rev.  A.  W. 
Piatt  presiding,  Rev.  J.  Clinton  preaching  the  sermon,  Rev.  G.  S. 
Boardman  delivering  the  charge,  Rev.  S.  F.  Snowden  offering  the 
consecrating  prayer,  and  Rev.  E.  Bliss  and  W.  B.  Stowe  leading 
in  the  devotions  at  the  opening  and  closing  of  the  service.  Mr. 
Finney  was  taken  under  the  care  of  the  Presbytery  with  a  view 
to  the  gospel  ministry  at  Adams,  June  25,  1823,  and  "directed  to 
pursue  bis  studies  under  the  direction  of  Rev.  Messrs.  Gale  and 
Boardman." 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  259 

the  northern  part  of  Jefferson  and  the  southern  parts  of  St.  Law- 
rence counties, where  I  labored  in  powerful  and  extensive  revivals, 
until  I  commenced  labors  in  We^ternville,  Oneida  county,  in  the 
autumn  of  1824. 

MR  FINNEY'S  character  and  experience. 

Mr.  Finney  was  built  on  a  large  scale.  Towering  in 
form,  majestic  in  mien  and  imposing  in  countenance, 
perfectly  natural  in  his  appearance  and  movem- 
without  the  slightest  putting  on  of  what  did  not  come 
upon  him  and  belong  to  him,  and  without*  any  con- 
sciousness of  look  and  manners,  he  stood  up  a  Saul 
among  the  people.  And  his  body  was  the  fitting  home 
of  himself. — large,  mighty  and  dauntless.  Xo  one  ever 
tioned  his  royalty.     By  universal  —ion.  he 

3ted  of  the  highest  intellect  and  the  profoui 
heart.  Whatever  else  may  be  said  of  him,  his  mental 
and  moral  exercises  were  preeminently  vigorous  and 
intense.  Mr.  Finney's  nature  made  him  commanding. 
manifest  was  his  sincerity.  He  both  believed 
and  felt  whatever  he  professed.  Thoroughly  hoi 
every  part  of  his  creed  was  the  persuasion  of  his  mind, 
and  every  expression  of  his  sentiments  the  utteranc< 
hi-  heart 

And  did  ever  Christian — Edwards,  Brain         P      son, 
Paul  himself — know  deeper  stirrings  of  the  soul     Bis 
profound  the  movement  in  that,  and 
deep  his  subsequent  experien 

And  who  in  an  LTpassed  him  in  earnest!  i 

and  sing''  .d  disinterestednesa     Be   bhrevi    his 

whole  S(,'lf  into  hifl  work, — body,  mind  and  heart,  with 
no  thought  of  what  might  betide  him.  intent  alone  .«n 

what  could  be  accomplished  for  God  and  man,  and  s-> 


2  60  PRE  SB  YTER1AN1SM  IN  THE 

he  was  emboldened  to  do  anything  his  object  required. 
The  choice  of  his  fields  of  labor  from  time  to  time  was 
determined  irrespective  of  their  honorableness  and 
agreeableness,  and  he  was  as  unsparing  in  the  obscurest 
little  congregation  as  in  the  largest  and  most  con- 
spicuous. 

THE   STATE   OF   THE   TIMES. 

Such  was  the  man, — and  what  were  the  times?  The 
divine  sovereignty  had  been  the  keynote  of  the  pulpit 
and  the  parish  from  their  setting  up  on  this  field,  and 
so  disproportionately  and  almost  exclusively  had  it 
controlled  them  as  to  impair  human  responsibility. 
Preaching  and  praying  were  general.  The  truth  was 
delivered,  but  with  the  thought  that  at  some  time  and 
in  some  way  it  would  contribute  to  its  legitimate 
results.  And  prayer  corresponded  to  it  It  was  a  pre- 
sentation of  petitions  to  lie  before  God  awaiting  his 
notice,  and  in  time,  perhaps,  to  secure  his  answer.  The 
public  conscience,  too,  was  considerably  blinded  and 
hardened.  There  came  to  be,  not  avowedly,  but  prac- 
tically, a  thought  of  the  divine  efficiency  in  the  produc- 
tion of  sin,  and  a  consequent  incapability,  or  a  dimin- 
ished capability,  to  recognize  human  criminality  for  it, 
or  human  obligation  in  reference  to  it.  Conviction  of 
sin  was  obstructed,  and  repentance  towards  God  and 
faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

HIS   EXAGGERATED  VIEWS   OF   PREVAILING   ERRORS 
AND   SYSTEMS. 

Mr.  Finney's  keen  eye  discerned  the  state  of  things, 
though  it  was  very  much  exaggerated  in  his  view,  from 
his  drawing  general  conclusions  from  a  narrow  range  of 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  261 

observation,  and  because  to  his  susceptible  mind,  mi- 
ssions of  facts  exceeded  their  magnitude  and  extent. 
His  generalizing  of  individual  circumstances,  and  his 
broad  inferences  from  narrow  premises,  are  illustrated 
in  his  charging  on  "ministers  and  professors  of  religion 
in  that  (this)  region/'  a  concurrence  "to  a  great  extent" 
in  the  Ilopkinsianism  of  the  Eev.  Dr.  Wm.  R  Weeks, 
whereas  that  divine  stood  almost  entirely  alone,  with 
little  or  no  countenance  from  his  surrounding  brethren. 
The  same  sweeping  statements,  based  on  single  cases, 
appear  in  his  charging  on  Princeton  what  he  heard,  or 
supposed  he  heard,  from  his  pastor,  a  graduate  of 
Princeton,  and  the  idea  he  then  got  of  "old  school  the- 
ology," and  of  the  teaching  of  the  Westminster  Sym- 
bols, held  possession  of  him  to  the  last,  and  so  squinted 
ision  that  he  could  not  see  them  aright  But  as 
already  remarked,  there  was  a  substratum  of  truth  in 
what  appeared  to  Mr.  Finney's  view.  The  prevailing 
sentiment  had  weakened  the  pressure  of  responsibility, 
and  hindered  the  conviction  of  sin,  and  discour; 
penitence  and  faith,  and  led  to  a  "casting  of  bread  on 
the  waters''  us  the  only  style  of  preaching,  and  to  wait- 
in-  as  the  only  style  of  praying.  Mr.  Finney  set  him- 
self   against    these    errors,*    and    held    sinners    to    an 

>peakiu^  of  the   revival  at  Rochester   in   1842,  -Mr.   F. 
"Siiiii.-r.iwt-r.-  11..!  encouraged  to  expect  (he  Holy  (J host  while 
they  were   passive,  and   never  told  to  wait   Qod'l  time,   but   were 
taught  unequivocally  that  their  first  and  Immediate  duty  m 

Bttbmit  themBelvef  to  God,  to  renounce  th.-ir  own    will,  their   own 

way  and    themselves,  and    instantly  to   deliver    uj.  all    that    they 

and  all  that  they  had  to  their  rightful  owner,  the  Lord  JsSUI 

(  brist;   that  the  only  obstacle  in  the  way  was  tlu-ir  own  Stubborn 

will;  that  God  was  trying  to  gain  their  unqualified  consent  t.> 

give  ui>  their  sins  and  accept  the  Lord  JuSUS Chriflt  as  their  right- 
eOUSnees  and  salvation  " 


262  PRESB  YTERIAN1SM  IN  1  'HE 

account  for  the  state  of  their  hearts  as  well  as  for  the 
conduct  of  their  lives,  and  pressed  conversion  upon 
them,  while  he  urged  Christians  to  aim  at  immediate 
results  in  their  efforts,  and  immediate  answers  to  their 
prayers. 

His  very  weaknesses  were  his  strength.  His  defective 
mental  discipline  and  his  defective  lore  gave  freedom 
to  him.  He  rushed  in  where  discipline  and  learning 
would  have  kept  him  out,  and  dealt  blows  that,  better 
trained  and  better  informed,  he  would  never  have 
struck.  His  imperfect  education*  permitted  rashness 
for  the  destruction  inevitable  in  reforms. 

mr  finney's  preaching. 

Such  a  man  preaching  in  such  a  state  of  the  commu- 
nity, must  necessarily  make  turmoil  and  arouse  oppo- 
tion.  There  was  magnificence  about  him  in  the  pulpit 
to  inspire  admiration  and  awe,f  with  his  towering  and 

*  Mr.  Finney  speaks  of  himself  in  his  autobiography,  as  having 
enjoyed  no  early  religious  instruction.  His  parents  were  not 
pious,  and  he  heard  little  or  no  intelligent  preaching  until  he 
commenced  preparing  for  the  bar,  and  never  even  owned  a  Bible 
until  then.  His  only  study  of  theology  was  for  a  few  months 
with  a  village  pastor,  and  when  licensed  to  preach,  he  had  never 
read  the  Westminster  Confession  of  Faith,  and  at  no  time  did  he 
learn  enough  of  Greek  and  Hebrew  to  search  the  Scriptures  in 
their  original  tongues. 

f  "  The  scene  in  the  crowded  church  (First  Utica)  on  these  occa- 
sions was  solemn  beyond  description.  No  unworthy  accessories  to 
heighten  the  interest  or  deepen  the  impression  were  ever  employ- 
ed. Beyond  some  unaffected,  yet  striking  peculiarities  of  voice 
and  manner  in  the  speaker,  there  was  nothing  to  attract  curiosity 
or  offend  even  the  most  fastidious  or  carping  sense  of  propriety. 


SYNOD  OF  VENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  263 

finely  proportioned  person,  and  princely,  but  active 
movements,  and  expressive  and  vigorous,  but  graceful 
gestures,  his  penetrating  voice  and  varied  intonations, 
his  glaring  eye,  and  his  power  of  reasoning — but  how 
he  searched  and  exposed  the  heart,* — to  what  a  vivid 
consciousness  of  themselves  he  brought  his  hearers,  and 
how  irritating  it  was  to  many  in  the  church  and  to 
more  in  the  world  to  be  thus  found  out.  And  the  ex- 
citement could  not  be  confined  to  the  listening  congre- 
gations; the  surrounding  communities  were  aroused, 
and  disturbed  in  their  false  and  relished  security,  mul- 
titudes awaked  to  rage. 

HIS   FAULTS   AND    MISTAKES. 

His  faults  and  mistakes  could  easily  be  predicted. 
With  strength  and  earnestness  as  his  especially  charac- 
teristic gifts,  and  on  a  presumed  mission  of  reform, 
there  must  have  been  inevitably  a  tendency  to  ev 

It  is  an  inadequate  tribute  of  praise  to  say  of  his  preaching  that 
whether  it  was  distinguished  most  for  intellectual  subtlety.strong 
denunciation  of  sin,  or  fearful  portrayal  of  the  wrath  to  come,  it 
had  its  reward  in  uncounted  accessions  to  the  Christian  ranks  and 
renewed  vigor  of  religious  life.  As  a  pulpit  orator,  his  place 
among  the  foremost  of  his  time  was  long  ago  assured." — Thus. 
oard,  /*>/. 
*  Says  Rev.  Dr.  Cowles:  "  Few  preachers  in  any  age  have  sur- 
passed President  Finney  in  clear  ami  well  defined  views  of  con- 
science, and  of  man's  moral  convictions:  f<w  have  been  more  fully 
at  home  in  the  domain  of  law  and  govern nient ;   few  have  learned 

more  <>f  the  spiritual  Life  from  experience  and  from  obaervmtion; 
not  many  have  discriminated  the  tnu-  from  the  false  more  cl 
or  have  been   more  skillful   in    putting  their  points   clearly  and 
pungently." 


264  PRESBYTER1AN1SM  IN  THE 

in  him,  and  a  tone  of  imperiousness  and  harshness.  He 
was  not  calm  enough,  and  scholarly  enough  for  invari- 
ably considerate  and  intelligent  judgments  and  for 
accurate  views ;  and  by  his  thorough  convictions  he 
was  almost  reckless  in  his  representations  and  denun- 
ciations of  supposed  errors  and  in  his  adoption  and 
advocacy  of  opposing  opinions,  while  his  pulpit  appeals, 
with  occasional  exceptions  of  touching  tenderness,  were 
harsh  and  often  grating.  Force  was  his  factor,  and 
"  breaking  down  "  his  process. 

There  was  therefore  a  show  for  the  accusations  against 
him,  and  when  most  sifted,  a  residuum  of  truth.  He 
was  intolerant  of  differences  of  doctrine  from  him,  and 
denunciatory,  and  even  defamatory  of  those  who  held 
them.  He  was  headlong  in  his  statements  of  what  he 
believed, when  set  over  against  the  contrary  as  believed, 
he  supposed,  by  others.  He  was  harsh  in  his  sermons, 
and  produced  their  effects  by  harrowing  more  than  by 
dissolving.  He  was  irreverent  and  coarse,  taking  liber- 
ties with  God  in  the  language  he  employed,  and  need- 
lessly shocking  the  tastes  and  sensibilities  of  men,  and 
dealing  out  "hell"  and  "damnation"  with  freedom  and 
frequency  and  seeming  relish. 

And  yet  his  faults  had  their  mitigation.  It  was  the 
impression  he  had  of  the  state  of  the  public  mind  that 
increased  the  tendency  of  his  strong  nature  to  compul- 
sion rather  than  constraint,  and  doctrine  was  as  much 
a  matter  of  conscience  with  him  as  principle,  and  error 
as  much  a  wrong  and  as  intolerable  as  sin,  and  the 
headway  under  which  feeling  kept  him,  bore  him  be- 
yond bounds  in  his  lines  of  belief,  and  particularly  in 
his  phrasings  of  it     And  the  severity  of  his  preaching. 


SYXOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  265 

and  its  legal  cast  and  tenor,  and  the  violence  of  his  lan- 
guage, came  largely  from  his  conceptions  of  human 
wickedness,  as  also  from  his  conceptions  of  human 
obligation. 

mp,  finney's  doctrines. 

Mr.  Finney  adopted  extreme  New  School  views  of 
sin.  and  of  native  depravity,  and  of  regeneration:  and 
yet,  exceptionable  as  they  may  appear  in  his  represent- 
ations of  them,  they  were,  for  the  most  part,  explana- 
tions of  conceded  facts,  and  not  denials  of  them,  and  on' 
the  whole,  and  for  substance  of  doctrine,  he  preached  the 
Calvinistic  scheme.  Speaking  of  one  of  the  earlist  re- 
vivals in  which  he  labored,  he  sa 

I  insisted  upon  the  voluntary  total  depravity  of  the  unregene- 
rate,  and  the  unalterable  necessity  of  a  radical  change  of  heart  by 
the  Holy  Ghost,  and  by  means  of  the  truth;  I  laid  great  stress  on 
prayer  ;  the  atonement  of  Jesus  Christ,  his  divinity,  his  divine 
mission,  his  perfect  life,  his  vicarious  death,  his  resurrection,  re- 
pentance, faith,  justification  by  faith,  were  discussed  as  thor- 
oughly as  I  was  able,  and  pressed  home. 

And  speaking  of  another  revival  soon  after,  he  says: 

I  went  on  to  show  1st,  what  the  doctrine  of  election  is  not;  '2d, 
what  it  is;  :5d,  that  it  is  a  doctrine  of  the  Bible:  4th,  that  it  is  the 
doctrine  of  reason;  5th,  that  to  deny  it  is  to  deny  the  very  attri- 
butes of  God;  Oth,  that  it  opposes  no  obstacle  to  the  salvation  of 
the  noii  fleet :  7th,  that  all  men  may  be  MTed  if  they  will:  and 
last,  that  it  is  the  only  hope  that  any  will    1m-  saved. 

"Dr.  Beecher  told  me/1  he  Bays,  "that  In*  had  never 
a  man  with  whose  theological  views  he  so  entirely 
accorded     "Dr.  Wisner"  (Secretary  of  A.  B.  G  1'.  M.) 
"wrote  a  reply  and  justified  my  views,  with  the  excep- 
tion <>!'  those  that  I  maintained  on  the  persuash 
w 


266  PRESBYTERIANISM  IN  THE 

moral  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit,"*  "I  conversed 
with  him  (Mr.  Nettleton,  at  Albany,  1826,)  in  regard 
to  his  doctrinal  views, — especially  of  the  views  held 
by  the  Dutch  and  Presbyterian  Churches  in  regard  to 
the  nature  of  moral  depravity.  I  found  that  he  en- 
tirely agreed  with  me,  so  far  as  I  had  opportunity  to 
converse  with  him,  on  all  the  points  of  theology  upon 
which  we  conversed.  Indeed,  there  had  been  no  com- 
plaint by  Dr.  Beecher,  or  Mr.  Nettleton,  of  our  teaching 
in  those  revivals.  They  did  not  complain  at  all  that 
we  did  not  teach  what  they  regarded  as  the  true  gospel. 
What  they  complained  of  was  something  that  they  sup- 
posed was  highly  objectionable  in  the  measures  that 
we  used."  He  also  mentions  the  republication  in  Eng- 
land of  his  "Systematic  Theology,"  with  a  commenda- 
tory preface  by  Dr.  Bedford,  who  was  pronounced,  he 
says,  by  Dr.  John  Campbell,  "the  greatest  Theologian 
in  Europe.1' 

Mr.  Finney's  doctrine  of  the  prayer  of  faith,  as  that 
has  been  reported,  would  encounter  more  general  objec- 
tion. Kev.  Dr.  Gardiner  Spring  describes  it,  as  present- 
ed by  him  from  the  pulpit  of  the  Brick  Church,  New- 
York  : 

It  was  a  well-arranged  discourse;  and,  as  far  as  I  can  remem- 
ber, at  this  distance  of  time,  he  dwelt  largely  upon  the  fact  that 
there  is  such  a  thing  as  the  effectual,  fervent  prayer  of  the  right- 
eous; that  such  prayer  is  prevalent  and  avails  much;  and  that  it 
is  always  answered  by  the  specified  blessing  prayed  for.  His  last 
proposition  startled  me,  and  I  saw  that  it  might  lead  to  the  wild- 

*  More  than  thirty  years  ago,  a  venerable  clergyman,  then  near 
the  close  of  an  eminent  ministry,  remarked  to  me  that  he  could 
convert  a  sinner  if  only  he  had  the  power  of  the  Spirit  to  hold 
truth  clearly  and  steadily  before  him. 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  267 

est  fanaticism.  I  could  not  admit  his  strongly  expressed  inference 
that  if  our  prayers  for  specified  blessings  are  not  infallibly  an- 
swered, either  God  is  not  true  to  his  word,  or  we  do  not  pray  in 
faith. 

Still  Dr.  Spring  speaks  from  memory,  which  may 
not  have  been  altogether  trustworthy,  and  a  suspicion  is 
cast  upon  it  by  the  published  declaration  of  the  Oneida 
Presbytery  in  1826  : 

We  are  not  aware  that  any  views  prevail  among  us  to  any  ex- 
tent materially  different  from  what  are  expressed  by  President 
Edwards,  in  his  sermon  entitled:  "  The  Most  High,  a  prayer-hear- 
ing God,"  and  by  Calvin,  particularly  in  his  commentary  on  the 
prayer  of  Paul  respecting  the  u  thorn  in  the  flesh." 


The  method-  of  ^fr.  Finney,  and  of  the  ministers 
and  churches,  in  concurrence  with  him,  received  severer 
strictures  than  his  doctrines.  Among  these,  as  alleged, 
were  such  public  manifestations  of  feeling  by  individ- 
uals as  rising  for  prayer,  or  "going  forward"  for  prayer 
t«  •  the  front  of  the  pulpit,  or  taking  places  on  anxious 
-  :  also  Buch  impertinencies  as  publicly  praying  for 
persona  by  name  without  their  request,  or  consent,  or 
knowledge,  and  by  people  whose  relation  to  then. 
cased  no  such  liberty:  and  further,  public  prayer  and 

speaking  by  women,  and  still  further,  the  hasty  admis- 
of  converts  to  the  church 
M<>st  of  these  are  now  moot  points  id  the  councils  of 
church,  and  the  mere  reality  of  them  can  hardly 
make  one  a  -inner  above  all  his  brethren. 

The  right    or    wrong,  the  benefit  or  harm  of   an  imli 

cation  of  anxiety  oi  mind  to  a  mixed  congregation  by 

individual   men    and  women,  la    still    under    disCUfi 


268  PRESB  YTERIANISM  IN  THE 

and  in  doubt.  Illustrations  of  signal  advantages  from 
it  certainly  occur,  while  it  is  true  that  the  great  mass  of 
cases  of  injury  from  it  are  not  likely  to  be  known,  and 
people  who  have  been  brought  to  a  decision  \>j  an  ex- 
terior pressure,  and  not  on  their  own  motion  in  view  of 
the  truth,  it  is  natural  to  fear  cannot  be  held  to  their 
decision  on  the  cessation  of  exterior  pressure,  and  there 
is,  besides,  a  sacredness  of  personal  and  private  feeling, 
and  a  delicacy  of  sensibility,  and  a  refinement  of  taste 
and  sentiment  in  a  community,  that  ought  not  to  be 
needlessty  invaded  and  violated  and  blunted  and  the 
value  of  which  ought  to  be  taken  into  the  account, 
while  the  whole  system  of  sensible  signs  for  the  encour- 
agement of  hope  and  the  stimulation  of  zeal  in  Chris- 
tians is  fatal  to  that  faith  which  is  the  principle  of  spir- 
itual life.  But  whatever  may  be  said  on  the  subject, 
it  should  be  observed  that  Mr.  Finney  never  used  the 
anxious  seat  in  the  "  Oneida  county  revivals,"  and 
never  elsewhere,  save  once  or  twice,  perhaps,  until 
1830,  at  Rochester,  "years  after  the  cry  of  new  meas- 
ures had  been  raised,"  as  he  says,  and  seldom  before 
did  he  call  on  persons  to  rise  in  the  church.  His  power 
was  in  the  pulpit,  and  on  that  he  laid  his  stress.  His 
engrossing  thought  was  the  exhibition  and  application 
of  the  truth,  and  private  conversation  and  inquiry 
meetings  and  prayer  meetings  were  his  accessories  to 
preaching.  His  views  on  the  general  subject,  as  ex- 
pressed in  private  correspondence  with  a  friend,  are  too 
moderate  to  provoke  Beverity  of  censure: 

I  do  not  ask  whether  the  measure  be  old  or  new,  expressly 
commanded  or  recognized  in  Scripture.  The  questions  are:  Is  it 
consistent  with  the  Bible,  i.  c,  is  it  not  inconsistent  with  its  spirit 


8YN0B  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK. 

and  letter  1  7s  its  tendency  good  or  bad  ?  Is  it  so  liable  to  abuse 
that  the  precedent  would  be  dangerous  or  not  ?  Is  it  a  common 
sense  way  of  bringing  the  truth  in  contact  with  the  mind,  or  is  it 
so  strange  as  greatly  to  shock  the  church  and  lead  to  vain  wrang- 
ling; or,  is  it  so  in  accordance  with  common  sense,  as  to  haw  the 
good  sense  of  thinking  men  in  its  favor  ?  Does  God  own  and  bless 
it  ?  Is  it  consistent  with  order  and  conducive  to  deep  thought  and 
solemnity  ''.  Such  questions  as  these  I  would  ask,  and  the  answer 
would  settle  my  mind.  As  to  everything  like  confusion,  or  that 
naturally  leads  to  it,  it  should,  in  my  judgment,  by  all  means,  be 
avoided. 

And  the  reasons  he  give.-  for  introducing  the  anx 
seat  at  Rochester  were : 

I  had  often  felt  the  need  of  some  measure  that  would  bring  sin- 
ners to  a  stand.  I  had  found  that  with  the  higher  classes  espe- 
cially, the  greatest  obstacle  to  be  overcome  was  the  fear  of  their 
being  known  as  anxious  sinners.  I  had  also  found  that  some- 
thing was  needed  to  impress  it  upon  them  that  they  were  expect- 
ed at  once  to  give  up  their  hearts — something  that  would  call 
them  to  act,  and  act  as  publicly  before  the  world  as  they  had  in 
their  sins — something  that  would  commit  them  openly  to  the 
service  of  Christ. 

THE   ATTITUDE   OP   CENTRAL    NEW    YORK    PRESBYTERI- 
AN is. \l    TOWARDS    NEW    MEASUB 

The  Presbytery  of  Watertown  condemned  the  nam- 
ing of  individuals  without  their  desire,  in  public 
prayer,  and   a  ■  the  sentiment  of  Pn 

nism  in  Central  Ne^  Fork,  and  there  is  no  evi- 
dencethal  Mr.  Finney  and  those  who  took  part  with 
him,  fcrai  I  against  it. 

The  Bhare  in  sei  men  in  t] 

escribed  by  Dr.  Aiken  in  his  report  of  CJtic 

We  liHVf   also  had  fftrioOl    <//<</"  ■•  il  hs 

■tated  and  public  prayer  meetings ;  and,  in  t.'o  /••nn,r,  rVinu!- 

pome  oases,  though  more  seldom  than  ire  eouRI  \\  i-h,  hart  taken 

a  pail. 


270  PRESB  YTER1ANISM  IN  THE 

And,  in  small  communities,  the  members  of  which 
were  as  members  of  families,  and  the  praying  men  in 
which  were  few,  women  sometimes  poured  out  at  the 
mercy  seat  what  was  bursting  the  hearts  of  little  com- 
panies, assembled  generally  in  the  homes  of  the  people. 

The  term  of  probationers  for  the  church  must  be  left 
to  the  discretion  of  the  sessions,  there  being  danger 
both  from  haste  and  delay,  and  notwithstanding  the 
fears  expressed  at  the  time  and  the  predictions  ven- 
tured, and  the  warnings  given,  the  converts  of  the 
"  Oneida  county  revivals"  have  as  generally  perse- 
vered and  run  as  well  as  professing  Christians  else- 
where, and  during  their  generation  they  constituted 
largely  the  strength  of  the  communions  they  joined. 

THE    FACTS   IN   REGARD   TO   NEW    MEASURES. 

These  statements  and  remarks  are  not  intended  to  be 
understood  by  any  means  as  a  denial  of  the  fact  that 
"  rising  for  prayer"  and  "  going  forward  for  prayer,"  and 
taking  "  the  anxious  seats,"  occurred  in  these  revivals  ; 
but,  as  a  denial  of  the  fact  that  they  were  as  widely 
and  prominently  and  offensively  practiced  as  has  been 
extensively  represented,  and  that  on  the  admission  of 
their  prevalence,  they  are  so  essentially  and  unques- 
tionably evil  as  to  bring  the  revivals  under  suspicion, 
and  the  laborers  in  them  under  condemnation.  Neither 
is  it  meant  that  there  were  no  cases  of  the  assumption 
and  encouragement  of  unauthorized  parts  by  women; 
but  that  if  they  occurred,  they  were  exceedingly  rare, 
and  that  if  a  distemper,  they  were  sporodic,  and  not  epi- 
demic. Persons  were,  probably,  sometimes  named  in  pub- 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  271 

lie,  and  quite  certainly  in  social  prayer,  but  this  was  only 
an  occasional  incident  in  the  course  of  the  revival.-. 
not  an  accompaniment  of  them,  and  it  was  an  offense 
in  the  eyes  of  those  who  conducted  them.  Many  pre- 
cipitately joined  the  church  :  but  not  more  in  propor- 
tion than  at  other  times,  and  in  other  regions.  There 
was  need  of  caution  in  all  t;  eets.  but  no  war- 

rant for  reprobation.  And  this,  as  the  actual  state  of 
things,  appeals  from  a  significant  fact.  A  committee 
appointed  by  the  Presbytery  of  Oneida  in  1832.  "  to 
inquire  into  certain  evils  supposed  to  exist  in  the 
churches  under  our  care."'  reported  that,  in  their  judg- 
ment, the  publication  of  the  pastoral  letter  of  the  I 
eral  Assembly  of  that  year,  signed  by  Jam.-  II  _  . 
Moderator,  rendered  further  action  unnecessary — the 
significance  of  the  fact  being  that  while  the  specified 
evils  occurred  here,  they  were  not  the  perpetration  of 
our  ministry  and  eldership,  but  their  animadversion  and 
grief,  and  that  with  their  sentiments  towards  them  they 
could  not  ha  d  extensively  perpetrated  by  our 

own  churches.     The  Assembly's  letter  advia 
The  avoidance  of  undue  excitement     2d.   All  b 
agitations  and  outcries.      3d    [ndecorum  in  social  wor- 
ship.    4th.   E  stings  and  e 
5th.   Teaching,   and    exhorting,  and    leading  in    pi 

in  public  and  promiscuous  assemblies  by  women. 
Tin.-  disturbance  of  the  settled  order  of  the  churches 
supe  -  in  leading  the  social 

of  religion,  and  substituting  pom  erts  for  t] 

7th.  Self-senl  or  irregular  preach  th  Teachings 

■nt  with  the  doctrinal  standards  of  our  eh urch, 
9th.    Burrying  apparent  converts  into  the  church.    \S 


272  PRESBYTER1AN1SM  IN  THE 

Measures  for  promotion  of  revivals  not  sanctioned  by 
some  example  or  precept,  or  fair  and  sober  inference 
from  the  Word  of  God. 

The  same  pastoral  letter  recognizes  the  genuineness 
and  power  of  the  revivals,  and  quietly  rebukes  the 
carping  at  them :  "  The  God  of  all  grace  has  been 
pleased  to  pour  out  more  copiously  of  his  blessed 
Spirit  on  the  people  of  our  denomination  in  this  land 
than  perhaps  in  any  period  of  equal  extent  in  former 
times,"  and  it  observes :  "  Let  it  not  be  supposed  that 
we  would  willingly  say  anything  that  might  encourage 
or  countenance  those  who  condemn  all  revivals  of  reli- 
gion— condemn  them  because  they  may  be  attended  1  >y 
some  errors  and  irregularities,  which  it  is  readily  ad- 
mitted ought  to  be  deplored  and  avoided.  Those  who 
cherish  an  aversion  to  revivals  of  religion  because 
they  are  attended  by  imperfections  and  liable  to  abuse, 
should  recollect  that  there  is  nothing  with  which  the 
human  powers  and  passions  have  to  do,  whatever  be  its 
general  excellence,  that  is  not  open  to  the  same  ob- 
jection." "There  remains  in  our  land,  and  in  our  be- 
loved church,  many  congregations  in  which  formality 
and  a  Laodicean  spirit  are  mournfully  prevalent.  Lit- 
tle reason  have  they  to  felicitate  themselves  that  they 
arc  free  from  all  the  extravagancies  which  they  censure 
in  others,  and  which  it  is  not  denied,  do  exist  in  certain 
places,  and  to  a  limited  extent.  Let  them  remember 
rather  that  a  congregation  in  which  many  souls  are 
born  into  the  Kingdom  of  God.  although  some  false 
pretensions  to  piety  and  some  censurable  practices  ap- 
pear, is  on  the  whole  in  a  state  infinitely  preferable  to  a 
congregation  in  which  hundreds  are  quietly  going  down 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  273 

to  perdition,  and  in  which  the  wise  virgins  are  slumber- 
ing and  sleeping  with  the  foolish." 

-    mderoiis  reports  of  the  revivals   were  widely  circu- 
lated.    Some  of  them  on  responsible  authority.     "The 
pastoral  letter  of  the  Oneida  Association"  voyaged  with 
them  to  almost  every  door  in   the  land.     See  what  it 
bore  about — "calling   men    hard  names:"   "reporting 
great,  powerful  revivals  which  afterwards  came  to  little 
or  nothing."    "ostentation   and   noise,"    "not   guarding 
against    false   conversions."    "  injudicious  treatment  of 
young  converts,  such  as  turning  them  into  exhorters 
and  teachers/'  "  giving  heed  to   impressions,  feelings 
and   supposed   revelations,"  "  allowing    anybody    and 
everybody  to  speak  and  pray  in  promiscuous  meetings 
of  whatever  age,  sex,  or  qualification."  using  means  of 
exciting  fears,  such   as    saying  to   a    sinner:   "If  you 
don't  repent  to  day.  you  will  be  in  hell  to-morrow."  you 
a  reprobate,  you  are  going  straight  to  hell."  fami- 
liar use  of  the  words  devil,  hell,  cursed,  damned,  and  in 
tone  and  manner  like  profane  swearing,  calling  elderly 
people   by   youth    and   boys,   "old    hypocrites,"  " old 
apostates,"  imprecations  in  prayer,  interference  by  min- 
-  and  others  with  congregations  to  which  they  did 
not  belong,  female  prayer  and  exhortation  in  public, — 
and  a  still  further   list  too   long  to  be  completed.      No 
wonder  that  people  opened  their  eyes  at  what  was  laid 
down   before   them?     No  wonder  that   they    revolted 
ai  a  work  of  which  this  is  the  illustration  and  specimen. 
No  wonder  that    they  thought   of  Presbyterianism  in 
1  Y  .'.  York  with  mingled  disgust  and  horror. 


274  PRESBYTER1AN1SA1  IN  THE 

And  now  what  shall  be  said  of  this  paper  and  its  au- 
thor ?  Nothing  more  than  is  spoken  by  the  following 
facts : 

It  was  drafted,  as  it  is  understood,  b}^  the  Kev.  Dr. 
William  R  Weeks,  of  Paris  Hill,  a  pronounced  disci- 
ple of  Dr.  Hopkins,  and  it  may  be  of  Dr.  Emmons,  ag- 
gressive in  the  advocacy  of  his  theology,  but  entirely 
unsuccessful  in  imposing  it  on  the  Presbytery  of  which 
we  was  long  a  member,  connected  at  the  time  with  the 
Oneida  Association,  then  small  and  feeble,  and  largel}r 
controlling  it  b}'  his  pow7er  of  will. 

Aggrieved  by  the  statements  in  the  paper,  the  Pres- 
byteiy  of  Oneida  (February  8,  1828)  appointed  Eev. 
Messrs.  Frost,  Aiken  and  Gale  to  inquire  of  the  writer 
of  it  "  whether  he  has  evidence  that  any  member  of 
this  Presbytery  used  any  of  the  exceptionable  expres- 
sions quoted''  by  him,  and  the  committee  subsequently 
reported  that  "  he  refused  to  give  them  any  information" 
on  the  subject. 

In  July,  1827,  a  conference  was  held  at  New  Leb- 
anon, Columbia  county,  on  the  subject  of  conducting 
revivals :  Mr.  Nettleton,  Drs.  Beecher,  Hawes,  Hum- 
phrey and  Justin  Edwards,  and  perhaps  others  from 
the  East,  and  Messrs.  Finney,  Aiken,  Frost,  Gillett, 
Coe,  Gale,  Weeks  and  Lansing,  and  perhaps  others 
from  the  West,  were  present,  and  they  continued  in  fra- 
ternal session  for  several  days.  The  western  brethren 
sought  the  avowal  or  announcement  of  the  authorship 
of  the  Oneida  Association  letter,  and  the  evidence  on 
which  its  allegations  were  made ;  but  Dr.  Weeks  made 
no  reply  by  word  or  sign.  Those  brethren  then  contra- 
dicted the  allegations  separately  and  collectively.     Mr. 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW    YORK.  275 

Nettleton,  at  a  later  stage  of  the  Conference,  read  what 
he  called  "  a  historical  letter,''  which  contained  a  cata- 
logue of  the  evils,  credibly,  as  he  supposed,  reported  to 
him  as  prevalent  in  the  revivals,  and  taken  very  much 
from  the  Oneida  Association  letter,  and  the  western 
brethren  were  as  unanimous  and  emphatic  as  before  in 
their  denial  of  them,  and  they  voted  for  a  series  of  res- 
olutions condeming  the  alleged  evils  in  detail,  insisting, 
at  the  same  time,  that  the  resolutions  should  notvbe  in- 
terpreted as  affirming  the  existence  of  the  alleged  evils 
here,  but  only  as  cautioning  against  them:  and  such 
the\'  were  assured  were  their  purport  and  design. 

An  editorial  of  the  Journal  and  Telegraph,  March  9. 
1833,  relates  :  "  In  the  county  of  Oneida  there  has  pre- 
vailed, and  for  aught  we  know,  still  prevails,  to  some 
extent,  the  practice  of  whipping  children,  to  induce 
them  to  submit  to  God.'1  President  Davis,  of  Hamil- 
ton College,  according  to  the  minutes  of  Oneida  Pres- 
bytery,  vol.  6,  p.  1,  "admits  that  in  conversation  with 
a  gentleman  in  Albany,  he  was  instrumental  in  the 
publication  of  the  article,"  but  that  he  ''made  no  such 
charge.''  ;' I  trust,"  lie  says,  "there  is  no  church  among 
us  the  majority  oj  whose  members  would  not  decidedly 
disapprove  of  such  a  new  measure."  While  the  charge 
in  its  full  breadth  is  disavowed,  President  Davis  implies, 
at  the  same  time,  that  portions  of  the  members  of  our 
several  churches  might  be  guilty  of  it.  The  Presby- 
tery proceeded  to  an  Investigation  of  the  charge,  and 
all  that  thej  could  ascertain  was  thai  one  good  mother 
in  her  chamber  did  once  whip  a  child  to  Induce  it  to 
submit  t<>  God ;  but  immediately  after  -he  was 
vinced  of  her  mistake  and  bitterly  bemoaned  it. 


276  PRESB  YTERIANISM  IN  THE 

We  dare  not  lisp  a  word  of  the  reflection  of  these 
reports  on  the  Holy  Spirit ;  but  we  may  speak  of  the 
aggravation  of  their  injustice  to  our  ministers  and 
churches  by  reason  of  the  strenuous  efforts  of  our 
Presbyterianism,  already  described,  to  repress  and  cor- 
rect, not  so  much  the  evils  in  these  revivals,  as  the  evils 
cotemporary  with  them  and  outside  of  our  ecclesiastical 
connection. 

THE    REVIVALS    TESTED    BY   TIME  AND   THEIR  EFEECTS. 

"  Ye  shall  know  them  by  their  fruits."'  The  scene 
of  these  revivals  lies  before  us,  and  their  effects  have 
had  time  for  development,  and.  what  do  we  see  ?  Xo 
"  burnt  district,"  certainly,  as  in  their  day,  and  some- 
times since,  it  was  called,  the  occurrence  of  what  it  was 
presumed  must  be,  being  mistaken  for  what  is:  but  a 
quick  and  fertile  soil,  a  harvest  field,  a  beautiful  gar- 
den. Eevivals  have  made  it  the  land  for  revivals. 
Susceptibility  to  the  truth  has  been  cultivated,  and  re- 
sponsiveness to  its  appeals ;  and,  from  1826  to  1876, 
there  has  been  such  a  succession  of  refreshings  from 
the  presence  of  the  Lord,  occasionally  over  its  whole 
space  in  the  same  years,  but  generally  here  now  and 
there  then,  that  the  dews  of  heaven  and  its  copious 
showers  have  seemed  to  fall  continuously  upon  it.  And 
how  the  institutions  of  religion  and  their  adjuncts  in 
schools  and  academies  and  colleges  have  struck  down 
their  roots  and  spread  their  branches,  and  how  the 
ploughshare  has  been  kept  running  into  vices  and 
wrongs,  and  what  gatherings  have  been  made  for  the 
waste  places  of  our  own  land  and  for  the  desolate 
parts  abroad  I 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  277 

Says  Dr.  Aiken.  1871,  "After  surveying  the  result 
forty  years,  I  am  persuaded  that  it  was  the  work  of 
God."  Says  Dr.  Lansing,  1856  :  "  I  have  been  familiar 
with  these  churches  (in  Central  and  Western  New  York) 
since  1806.  I  have  seen  their  birth,  their  progress, 
their  manhood  and  maturity,  and  I  deem  it  no  great 
presumption  in  me  to  say  that  I  know  their  history 
and  character  at  least  as  well  as  any  man  living.  That 
history  is  written  upon  the  financial  records  of  our  Bible, 
Tract,  Foreign  and  Home  Missionary  Societies  :  upon 
our  academies  and  colleges  and  upon  all  those  institu- 
tions whose  object  is  the  elevation  of  man  or  the  ad- 
vancement of  the  Redeemer's  kingdom  :  upon  the  moral 
worth,  the  wealth,  the  general  prosperity  of  cities,  towns 
and  villages  in  those  sections  of  the  State  and  upon  the 
thousands  of  intelligent,  devoted,  active  friends  of 
Christ,  the  fruits  of  those  revivals  who  continue  to  this 
day  steadfast  in  the  faith  and  hope  they  then  embraced." 

OTHEB    EVANGELISTS. 

Mr.  Finney  was  but  one  of  many  Evangelists  who 
appeared  at  the  same  time  with  him  of  whom 

busily  employed  and  attracted  considerable  notice, 
Mention  has  already  been  made  of  Augustus  Little- 
john  and  of  the  long,  but  Btealthilv  practiced  wicked- 
and  vileness  of  which  he  was  guilty.  Though  a 
native  of  Oneida  county  he  never  belonged  to  any  of 
our  Presb 

James  Boyle  came  to  the  Presbytery  of  Oneida  with 
clean  papers  from  the  Methodist  ministry,  and  after 
careful  examination  and  a  term  of  study  under  the  di- 
rection of  Rev.  Messrs,  Aiken,  Allen  and  Frost,  be  was 
x 


278  PRESBYTERIANISM  IN  THE 

admitted  to  our  ministry.  Soon  after,  the  charge  of 
"  Perfectionism  "  against  him  was  sustained  and  he  was 
unanimously  supended  from  the  sacred  office. 

Luther  Myrick  was  taken  under  the  care  of  the  Pres- 
bytery of  Oneida  and  examined  at  intervals  on  all  the 
prescribed  parts  of  trial  and  licensed  as  a  candidate  for 
the  ministry.  Engaged  as  a  stated  suppty  by  the 
church  of  Litchfield,  he  joined  with  it  in  a  request  for 
ordination  sine  titulo,  which  was  refused.  Subsequently 
called  to  the  pastorship  of  the  church,  he  was  ordained 
and  installed,  but  soon  dismissed  on  the  plea  of  an  in- 
adequate support.  Subsequently  he  was  charged  with 
lieresy  in  denying  the  Saints'  Perseverance  and  incul- 
cating Perfectionism,  with  disorganizing  churches  and 
encouraging  confusion  and  disorder  in  religious  meet- 
ings, with  defaming  the  Presbyterian  Church  and  using 
improper  language  in  preaching  and  praying,  and  con- 
victed of  the  offences,  he  was  suspended  from  the  min- 
istry. Subsequently  he  made  humble  confession  and 
expressed  deep  repentance  and  was  restored  to  his  office- 
He  then  took  a  dimission  to  the  Black  River  Associa- 
tion. Not  being  received  by  that  body,  he  announced 
to  the  Presbytery  his  withdrawal  from  the  Presbyte- 
rian Church  and  his  name  was  stricken  from  the  roll, 
lie  was  an  enthusiast,  probably  sincere,  but  wrought 
up  to  the  point  of  derangement,  and  while  gathering 
large  assemblies  and  exciting  them,  his  proper  place 
was  the  asylum  rather  than  the  pulpit. 

Very  different  from  these  Evangelists,  and  yet  very 
peculiar,  was  Jedediah  Burchard.  Born  at  Norwich, 
Ct,  in  1790,  of  pious  parents  and  a  godly  ancestry,  and 
kin  to  a  large  circle  of  the  excellent  of  the  earth,  he  was 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  279 

removed  at  eight  years  of  age,  with  his  parents'  family, 
to  Utica,  N.  Y.  Entering  the  store  of  Mr.  Lynot 
Bloodgood,  he  so  commended  himself  to  that  eminent 
merchant  and  business  man  that  he  took  him  to  Albany, 
and  there  Mr.  Burchard,  in  partnership  with  another, 
opened  a  trade  which  went  down  in  the  general 
crash  after  the  war  of  1812.  Proud  and  ambitious 
before,  he  was  now  brought  to  the  foot  of  the  Cross 
and  began  at  once  to  make  known  the  salvation  he 
had  found.  Soon  after  he  commenced  preparation 
for  the  ministry,  spending  two  or  three  years  in  it  at 
Albany,  actively  laboring  for  souls  in  the  meanwhile. 
He  afterwards  joined  his  mother  and  brothers  and  sis- 
ters, then  living  at  Sacketts  Harbor,  and  continued  his 
work  and  study  there,  and  commenced  in  small  neigh- 
borhoods the  part  of  an  Evangelist  to  which  his  subse- 
quent ministry  was  largely  devoted.  Licensed  and  or- 
dained by  the  Black  River  Association,  he  joined  the 
Presbytery  of  Watertown  in  1825,  and  was  actively 
employed  in  revivals  of  religion  in  Jefferson  and  St. 
Lawrence  counties  and  occasionally  elsewhere.  In 
1828,  he  organized  the  Fayette  St.  Church,  Utica,  and 
served  it  for  a  time  But  his  mission  was  that  of  an 
Evangelist,  and  though  afterwards  a  pastor  or  b1 
supply,  tor  Bhorl  periods  of  the  Chatham  St.  Chapel, 
New  York  city,  and  at  Adams,  X.  V..  his  professional 
lit'.-  was  mainly  spent  in  Bpecial  meetings  in  Central  and 
Western  V ■■•.  Fork,  in  Canada  and  in   New  England 

M;m\   of   the  must  important  churches  in  these  district- 

were  opened  to  bim,  and  wherever  he  wenl  large  con- 
gregations cam*-  nut  and  -rent  interest  was  awakened 
He  cannot  be  judged  by  ordinary  rule       (     istitutdon- 


280  PRESB  YTER1AN1SM  IN  THE 

ally  eccentric,  lie  was  irresistably  erratic.  A  thorough 
Presbyterian  and  a  rryper-Calvinist,  he  was  of  a  mercu- 
rial disposition  and  a  brilliant  genius.  His  power  of 
description  has  been  seldom  surpassed,  and  his  fund  of 
anecdote  and  fountain  of  humor  were  so  overflowing 
that  he  could  not  seal  them.  Without  culture  and  oft- 
en crude  and  coarse,  his  picturing  was  always  vivid 
and  occasionally  beautiful,  and  his  delivery,  though 
too  obviously  acting,  well  befitted  it.  His  preaching 
would  have  drawn  crowds  irrespective  of  its  spiritual 
impression,  but  this  did  not  by  any  means  altogether 
fail  in  it,  though  disproportioned  to  the  mere  excite- 
ment it  produced  and  not  distinguished  by  him  from 
that.  Among  the  principal  accusations  made  against 
him  was  the  indiscriminate  zeal  with  which  he  pressed 
admissions  to  the  church. 

Mrs.  Burchard  was  a  ''help  meet"  for  her  husband, 
— a  woman  of  great  dignit}'  of  character  and  bearing, 
feminine  but  unshrinking.  She  conducted  services  for 
women  and  children,  and  precluding  criticism  of  them 
by  her  management  of  them,  she  achieved  memorable 
good.* 

*  Mr.  Burchard's  devotion  to  his  wife  was  passionate  to  the  last, 
with  a  dash  of  knightliness  and  knighterrauty.  During  a  winter's 
residence  by  her  in  one  of  the  sanitary  institutions  of  Utica,  where 
it  was  deemed  important  to  isolate  her,  for  the  time,  from  her 
kiudred  and  friends,  he  was  a  familiar  visitor  at  my  house,  and 
his  accounts  as  he  returned  from  them,  of  adventures  on  the 
grounds  of  the  institution  for  the  purpose  of  exchanging  signals 
with  his  wife,  were  as  romantic  and  side-splitting  as  Don  Quix- 
ote's, while  the  plight  in  which  he  was  sometimes  put  by  them 
and  in  which  he  appeared,  added  to  the  picturesqueness  and  drol- 
lery of  his  tales. 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW    YORK.  281 

Mr.  Burchard's  nervous  temperament  and  power  of 
fancy  and  superabundant  facetiousness  and  temptation 
to  the  histrionic  were  unfavorable  to  charitable  judg- 
ments of  him,  but  underneath  all  and  predominant  over 
them  was  a  Christian  sentiment  that  came  out  clearer 
in  private  confidences  than  in  public  performances.  Un- 
happily for  him  he  was  somewhat  secularized  in  his  later 
years  by  financial  affairs,  and  the  interest  he  took  in 
them;  but  at  his  death  in  Adams,  September,  1864.  he 
reposed  unwavering  confidence  in  the  Redeemer,  and 
with  mind  calm  and  clear,  was  ready  to  depart. 

REVIVALS    illl-:   NECESSITY  OF    AX    [MPERFECT  CHURCH. 

Even  good  men  form  conceptions  of  better  ways  of 
promoting  religion  than  by  revivals.  They  would  fur- 
ther it  uniformly.  Steady  movemenl  is  their  ideal  and 
sometimes  their  demand.  But  alas!  Christian  imper- 
fection breaks  up  their  plans  and  dissipates  their  vis- 
ion- and  overmasters  their  will.  Taking  that  into  the 
account,  tli (.'  certainty  is  that  religion  will  advance  irreg- 
ularly, and  more  or  less  fcumultuously.  It  is  only  at  its 
stalling  now,  and  moving,  and  Btopping,  and  falling 
back,  ami  no  little  jarring  withal,  will    be    still    loi 

as  heretofore,  the  mode  of  its  progress.  Under  the  full 
headway  of  millenial days, il  will  run  continuously  and 
smoothly.  Revivals  are  tli<-  uecessity  of  an  imperfect 
church. 

i;l.\  [VALfl   OF    VARIOUS    I  STES. 

Though  the  work  of  one  agent,  through  tli«'  same 
instrumentality,  revivals  put  on  various  forms  and  a-- 


282  PRESBTTERIANISM  IN  THE 

pects,  and  are  distinguished  by  various  characteristics. 
How  noticeable  is  this  in  the  different  periods  that  have 
passed    under  our  survey.     Williston,    Bushnell,  and 
their  compeers  and  successors,  for  a   score   of  years, 
preached  doctrine   and  duty  like  professors  of  theol- 
ogy, presenting  habitually  and  prominently  the  Calvin- 
istic  scheme,  and  the  themes  of  sermons  by  the  minis- 
ters were  the  themes  of  conversation  by  the  people. 
The  sovereignty  of  God  became  the  controlling  thought. 
For  the   succeeding  score  of  years,  and  longer,    and 
largely  under  the  incitement  of  Mr.  Finney,  human  re- 
sponsibility was  pressed  on  congregations  and  individ- 
uals, so  that  the  blame  of  their  conduct  and  disposition 
and  condition  was  fastened  on  themselves,  and  the  obli- 
gation pressed  to  frame  "  their  doings  to  turn  unto  the 
Lord,  and  "to  cast  away  from  them  all  their  transgres- 
sions whereby  they  had  transgressed,  and  make  them  a 
new  heart  and  a  new  spirit,"  and  activity  in  the  work 
of    salvation  became  the  controlling  thought*      The 
cross  was  lifted  up  in  both  periods,  but  not  foremost 
and  highest.     Sternness  and  seriousness  were  the  pecu- 
liarities of  the  piety  of  the  first  two  decades,  and  sever- 
ity and  zeal  of  the  second  two.     However  much  the 
pulpit  has  since  gained  rhetorically  and  aesthetically, 
for  the  reason,  perhaps,  that  former  days  seem  better 
than  these,  it  may  be  thought  that  it  hardly  holds  its 
own  intellectually  and  as  the  sounding-board  of  God's 

*  Speaking  of  the  "Great  Awakening,"  1740,  Tracy  writes: 
"  The  most  important  practical  idea,  which  then  received  increased 
prominence  and  power,  was  the  idea  of  the  "  new  birth,"  as  held 
by  the  orthodox  Congregational ists,  of  New  England,  and  others 
who  harmonize  with  them." 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  2tf3 

Word.  There  is  less  substance  in  its  communications 
and  less  Scripture — less  to  fill  and  exercise  the  mind, 
and  less  of  "  thus  saith  the  Lord."  It  is  more  pleasing; 
but  not  so  exacting  and  spiritual.  It  does  not  tax 
tli inking  so  much,  nor  consist  so  much  of  supernatu- 
rally  revealed  truth,  nor  does  it  disturb  the  conscience 
so  much  and  break  up  false  security.  It  has  apparently 
yielded  to  the  demand:  "Speak  unto  us  smooth 
things,"  and  adapted  itself  to  public  sentiment  instead 
of  controlling  and  training  public  sentiment  and  adapt- 
ing this  to  itself.  Doctrine,  especially,  is  a  comparative' 
stranger  to  the  lips  of  preachers  and  to  the  ears  of  au- 
diences. But  this  much  may  be  claimed  for  recent 
preaching,  and  must  be  conceded :  if  it  has  lost  mus- 
cle and  body  and  edge  and  force,  its  mildness  and 
winsomeness  are  by  no  means  illegitimate.  They  come, 
in  part,  at  least,  from  beholding  and  exhibiting  Jesus. 
He  is  put  in  his  right  place,  on  the  foreground,  and 
there  he  is  pointed  out  to  produce  conviction  of  sin 
and  the  penitence  of  sinners,  as  well  as  a  good  hope. 
And  the  preaching  of  the  day  gives  character  to  its  re- 
vivals. With  less  awe  of  God,  and  fewer  of  the  terrors 
of  the  law,  and  with  less  stir,  they  abound  with  Christ 

Mi".  Finney  lltteiB  a  caution  in  his  private  correspond- 
ence which    merits  notice:    "Of  late,  I    fear,  that 
fective  instruction  Is  letting  down  the  tone  of  revivals, 
and  that  there  is  to  be  a  very  disastrous  reaction.    Min- 
isters are  striving  to  preach  the  gospel  without  the 
and  hence  the  true  significance  of  the  gospel  is  not 
derstood." 

At  the  same  time.  Mr.  P'i 1 1 1 1« ■  \  s  error  at  this  point, 
is  very  manifest     The  prominence  be  gave  to 


284  PRESB  YTERIANISM  IN  THE 

mission"  and  "  consecration1'  in  his  instructions  to  the 
impenitent,  and  particularly  to  the  inquiring,  depreci- 
ated faith,  and  made  it  subsequent  to  them  in  both  the 
order  of  nature  and  the  order  of  time.  The  converts 
under  him  were  likely  to  be  more  servants  than  be- 
lievers. They  were  in  danger  of  separating  the  two 
acts  and  making  faith  to  follow  submission  and  conse- 
cration, instead  of  putting  them  forth  as  a  single  com- 
plex act,  the  succession  in  the  order  of  nature  being- 
faith  leading  to  submission  and  consecration,  and  not 
following  them.  In  a  word,  the  tendency  of  his  teach- 
ing was  to  induce  a  legal,  more  than  an  evangelical  ex- 
perience. 

As  truths  are  rotary,  presenting  their  different  sides 
and  aspects,  so  the  public  mind  which  they  address,  is 
variable  in  its  susceptibilities.  Every  preacher  notices 
this  in  his  own  career.  The  effective  appeals  at  one  stag<  - 
of  it  lose  their  force  at  another,  and  by  a  sort  of  instinct 
he  changes  the  relative  positions  and  lights  in  which  he 
puts  different  truths,  and  the  style  and  tone  in  which 
he  delivers  them.  The  kind  of  preparation  for  the 
pulpit  is  ever  in  transition.  Sermons  get  out  of  date. 
Their  repetition  becomes  anachronistic.  The  powerful 
preaching  of  1826  is  feeble  in  1876.  The  receptivity 
for  it  has  passed  away.  Mr.  Finney  shared  the  com- 
mon experience.  He  himself  never  waned,  but  (save 
in  exceptional  communities  and  circumstances,)  his 
pulpit  fell  off.  I  was  cognizant  of  an  illustration  of 
this  at  Borne  in  1855.  As  able  and  earnest  then  as  he 
was  when  there  in  1826,  little  or  no  response  to  his 
discourses  came  back.  He  ascribed  it  in  his  auto- 
biography very  erroneously  and  unjustly  to  the  pastor: 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  285 

but  the  explanation  of  it  was  his  passe  matter  and 
style.  So  manifest  was  this  at  the  time,  that  his  old 
friends  in  Utica,  where  considerable  religious  interest 
existed,  deemed  it  unwise  to  invite  him  there. 


MODIFICATIONS    OF    THE    MEANS    OF    REVIVALa 

Teaching  and  prayer  constitute  the  means  of  genuine 
revivals, — teaching  of  the  truth  which  is  employed  for 
conversion  and  indispensable  to  it,  and  prayer  for  the 
TIolv  Spirit,  whose  special  influences  alone  can  give 
efficiency  to  it  Preaching  is  ordained  by  God  and  so 
is  parental  instruction,  but  the  truth  may  be  taught  in 
other  ways,  and  prayer  is  confined  to  no  methods,  forms, 
circumstances,  places  or  hours,  and  the  same  truth  has 
various  aspects  and  sides.  The  noticeable  modes  of 
teaching  differ  in  different  revivals,  and  also  the  Bides 
and  aspects  of  truth  most  distinctly  presented,  and  like- 
the  modes  of  praying.  These  diversities  arc  but 
incidents  to  the  true  means  common  to  all  revivals. 
They  do  uol  so  enter  into  their  substance  and  life  i 
decide  their  genuine  spuriousnesa     They  were 

illustrated  in  the  various  periods  of   revival   in  the  his- 
torj  of  the  Synod  and  in  various  revivals  in  c 
churches.     Thus  days  of  fasting  and  prayer  and  con- 
ference meetings  and  meetings  of  parents  and  baptized 
children  are  mentioned  as  peculiarities  in  the  earl] 
vivals,   and  in  the   later,    Sunday  school-   and   Bible 

88,  the  circulation  of  Bibles  and  tracts  and  b 
the   reappearance  of   Evangelists,  protracted   meel 
inquiry  meetings,  anion  meetings,  anxio 
nntary  and  public  confessions  of  backslidings,  offi 


•vv 


286  PRESBYTER1AN1SM  IN  THE 

and  faults,  family  visitations,  conversations  with  the 
impenitent  as  a  business  b}^  ministers  and  private 
christians,  active  and  conspicuous  lay  agency,  the  "tes- 
timony" of  young  converts,  the  service  of  sacred  song, 
sunrise  prayer  meetings,  noonday  meetings,  female 
pra}^er  meetings,  meetings  of  mothers  and  wives,  young 
converts'  meetings,  young  people's  meetings,  young- 
men's  meetings  and  associations,  social  prayer  and  con- 
cert in  prayer  for  particular  classes  and  objects  and  for 
single  individuals,  prayer  by  special  request,  prayer  for 
persons  who  had  been  invited  to  ask  for  it,  and  prayer 
for  those  who  "  rose  "  or  "  came  forward"  to  the  pulpit 
to  signify  their  wish  for  it. 


REVIVALS    IMPERFCT   WORKS    OF   GRACE. 

Even  the  excellent  of  the  earth  more  or  less  mar  the 
good  they  are  emploj-ed  to  effect.  Kevivals  of  religion 
furnish  no  exceptions  to  the  fact.  They  are  imperfect 
works  of  grace.  Much  occurs  in  them  worthy  of  cen- 
sure and  the  occasion  of  just  regret.  They  are  seasons 
of  excitement  with  more  than  the  usual  exposure  to 
error  and  irregularity.  But  if  indispensable  to  the 
advancement  of  the  church,  Christian  ministers  and  peo- 
ple may  not  forbid  revivals,  and  should  not  keep  aloof 
from  them.  There  are  fictions  of  them  to  be  abjured 
and  denounced,  and  it  may  be  sometimes  difficult  to 
discriminate  between  such  and  the  real,  but  they  ought  to 
be  judged  with  a  comprehensiveness  that  makes  large  ac- 
oount  of  human  frailty  and  of  the  divine  endurance  of 
it.  and  with  a  charity  born  of  a  consciousness  of  one's 
own  faultiness  and  that  wonders  more  that  he  himself 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  28  j 

has  received  a  commission  for  service  than  that  it  has 

been  granted  to  the  most  unsuitable  for  it.  As  indi- 
vidual conversions  are  not  true  or  false,  according  to  the 
character  of  the  men  and  the  description  of  the  circum- 
stances attending  upon  them,  so  multitudes  of  conver- 
sions are  not  true  or  false  according  to  their  accompa- 
niments. Of  his  own  will  God  begets  us  with  the  word 
of  truth,  and  truth  is  often  conveyed  by  uncouth  and  un- 
cleanly vehicles  and  with  much  foreign  admixture  and 
a  small  grain  in  a  mass  of  chaff  is  often  the  seed  of, 
godliness. 

All  this  is  no  excuse  for  evils  in  revivals  and  no  jus- 
tification for  needlessly  permitting  them.  The  cause  of 
revivals  demands  circumspection  in  them  and  the  cor- 
rection of  what  is  amiss  about  them,  indifference  to  the 
manner  of  conducting  them  is  a  forfeiture  of  their  rep- 
utation and  an  allowance  of  hinderances  to  their  recur- 
rence. But  mere  exceptionableness  in  them  is  no  con- 
demnation of  them,  and  no  warrant  for  seclusion  from 
them. 

SYMPATHY    WITH    THEM    AND    A   PAST  IN  THEM    ESSEN- 
TIAL  TO    a   .11  DGMENT   OF   THEM. 

And  revivals  resent  criticism.  They  do  not  admit 
of  it.  From  the  nature  of  things  they  cannot  be  sub- 
jected t<»  it.  Mere  Lookers  on  inevitably  fail  in  just 
views  of  them.  They  must  he  participated  in  and 
sympathized  with  to  becorrectlj  seen.  The  only  g 
poinl  of  observation  is  in  the  mi<lst  of  them.  As  the 
soul  of  arl  is  essentia]  to  the  connoiseur  of  work- of  art. 
so  the  spiril  of  revivals,  breathed  in  the  atmosphe* 
revivals,    is  indispensable   to   a   correct    judgment  of 

revivals. 


288  PRESB  YTERIA  NISM  IN  THE 

REVIVALS   CHOOSE   THEIR  OWN  COURSE  AND   METHODS. 

And  revivals  take  their  own  course  and  develop 
methods  for  themselves.  They  are  not  machinerv 
movements,  but  the  free  operations  of  the  Spirit.  No 
human  programme  is  carried  out  by  them.  They  defy 
plana  and  confound  calculations  and  create  surprises. 
"  The  wind  bloweth  where  it  listeth."  The  prepara- 
tion for  them  is  a  vane-like  mind,  turning  here  or  there 
as  the  Spirit  veers  it. 

NO   EASY   REVIVALS. 

And  there  are  no  easy  revivals.  Their  genesis  is  in 
pain.  They  come  from  pious  souls,  not  always  recog- 
nized, suffering  and  struggling,  and  eminent  among 
them  is  the  earnest,  faithful  pastor.  Drawn  out  by 
desire,  racked  by  anxiety,  oppressed  by  responsibility, 
overwhelmed  by  something  lie  can  hardly  define,  life 
seems  well  nigh  dragged  or  tossed  out  of  him,  or  crushed 
in  him.  And  as  the  work  goes  on,  how  many  crosses 
are  taken  up  and  how  much  crucifixion  borne  ! 

WESSONS    FROM    PAST    REVIVALS  AND  POINTS  TO  BE  SET- 
TLED   IN   REGARD  TO    COMING   REVIVALS. 

It  is  safe  to  predict  the  future  from  the  past.  Re- 
vivals will  continue  and  multiply  and  increase.  It  is  a 
glorious  vision  that  fancy,  guided  by  experience  and 
revelation,  presents.  Precedent  and  the  nature  of  things 
and  the  Word  of  God  certify  it  to  us  that  they  must  be 
conditioned  hereafter  as  heretofore,  and  that  truth  and 
prayer    are    their   only   real    as    well    as    indispensable 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  289 

is,  The  modes  of  employing  these  means  are  likely 
to  vary,  and  also  the  types  of  the  revivals,  and  human 
imperfection  will  cling  to  them. 


RESPONSIBILITY    FOB    THE     DESCRIPTION    OF   COMING 
REVIVALS. 

There  is  caution  to  be  exercised  as  well  as  zeal  and 
a  choice  to  be  allowed  between  types  of  revivals  and 
the  ways  of  using  their  means,  and  just  here  is  a  respon- 
sibility that  more  than  ever  before  presses  upon  minis-' 
and  churches.  We  must  not  sacrifice  revivals  by 
destructive  methods,  nor  abandon  them  from  past 
abuses,  nor  indiscriminately  drop  and  proscribe  mis- 
used manners  of  promoting  them,  nor  permit  indiffer- 
ence as  to  the  description  of  them.  It  is  of  unspeakable 
importance  t<>  leave  them  to  the  unmodified  operations 
of  their  two  essential  mean-,  under  the  influences  of  the 
Ii  .Spirit,  and  to  keep  out  distracting  and  corrupt- 
and  influences,  and  there  is  needed  a  com- 
bined and  concentrated  and  careful  observation  to  dis- 
tinguish here  between  the  divine  and  the  human,  and 
the  helping  or  hindering  action  of  the  human  on  the 
divine.  Those  revivals  are  most  precious  that 
bear  recollection  and  Leave  the  happiest  imj  -  and 

create  the  most  craving  desires  for  their  repetition. 

The  already  long  and  hotly  discussed  questions  thus 
come  up  h>r  calm  and  free  conference:  1st  h  that 
-  of  methods  which  consists  in  a  public  manifestation 
of  ihe  personal  feelings  <>f  individuals  so  effective  for 
good  and  so  innocuous  as  to  be  imperative,  and  2d 
A  i - •  modern  Evangelists  a  valid,  distinct  class  of  the 
v 


290  PRESB  TTER1AN1SM  IN  THE 

ministry,  and  are  their  functions  legitimate  and  useful? 
The  opposition  to  both  measures  into  which  a  prominent 
portion  of  American  Methodism  has  been  brought,  and 
also  as  a  consequence  of  them,  to  revivals  of  religion, 
is  a  significant  token  of  the  urgency  and  importance  of 
the  questions.  In  regard  to  the  public  manifestation 
of  feeling  by  individuals,  no  express  prescription  of  it 
is  presumed,  while  a  divided  sentiment  in  regard  to  it 
exists  and  distraction  arises  from  it  and  the  objections 
to  it  have  force  in  themselves  and  are  urged  by  many 
of  the  wise  and  good,  and  they  mar,  to  some  extent,  at 
least,  the  happy  impression  and  remembrance  of 
revivals  and  impair  the  desire  for  their  recurrence. 
There  is  probably  less  diversity  of  opinion  in  regard  to 
Evangelists.*      Their   work  attests  their  commission. 

*  At  the  ordination  of  Rev.  Edward  Payson  Hammond,  Presi- 
dent Mark  Hopkins  delivered  a  sermon  treating  of  Evangelists, 
which  it  is  greatly  to  be  regretted  was  lost  while  in  transit  for 
publication  from  Williamstown  to  New  York.  Mr.  Hammond 
was  an  alumnus  of  Williams  College,  exceedingly  active  as  a 
Christian  among  the  students  and  in  the  neighborhood,  and  very 
successful,  and  the  President's  son,  now  a  pastor  at  Westfield, 
Mass.,  with  many  others,  was  largely  indebted  to  him  for  saving 
religious  impressions.  He  has  since  been  devoted  to  the  work  of 
an  Evangelist  in  this  country  and  Great  Britain,  holding  literally 
mass  meetings  in  most  of  the  large  towns  here  and  abroad,  and 
contributing  to  multitudes  of  conversions.4  He  was  always  ready 
to  prosecute  his  work  under  the  direction  of  our  Judicatories  and 
of  the  settled  ministry,  and  at  one  time  an  effort  was  made  for  an 
arrangement  of  this  kind.  The  revivals  under  his  labors  have 
been  preeminently  of  the  class  that  can  be  correctly  observed  only 
from  a  stand-point  in  the  midst  of  them.  Critically  viewed,  or 
viewed  by  mere  spectators,  they  seldom  present  an  attractive 
appearance.  There  will  seem  to  be  too  much  enginery  in  them 
ami  too  much  bustle.     Four  classes  of  debt  are  due  to  Mr.  Ham- 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  291 

There  is  a  place  and  part  for  them,  and  great  and  un- 
questioned good  has  been  accomplished  by  them.  But 
thus  far  they  have  been  self-appointed  and  untrained 
and  irresponsible  and  it  is  to  be  considered  and  deter- 
mined whether  they  admit  of  education  and  regulation, 
or  whether  they  are  as  extraordinary  as  prophets  and 
comprehend  prophetesses.  And  whatever  conclusions 
may  be  reached  in  regard  to  the  office  and  schooling 
and  appointment  and  regulation  and  accountability  of 
Evangelists,  it  will  be  accepted  as  already  determined 
that  they  have  no  right  of  intrusion  into  congregations, 
or  into  communities  belonging  to  congregations,  where 
the  established  ecclesiastical  authorities  do  not  invite 
them,  and  that  it  is  usurpation  for  them  to  assume  the 

moud  by  reason — 1st.  Of  his  contribution  to  the  service  of  song,  he 
being  among  the  first  to  introduce  the  descriptions  of  hymns  and 
the  style  of  music  which  have  proved  so  effective  in  these  latter 
days.  2d.  His  perpetual  use  of  the  Scriptures  and  his  habituating 
congregations  to  the  same.  3d.  His  exhibition  and  pressure  of 
faith  in  Christ  as  first,  midst  and  last,  and  in  its  simplicity,  with- 
out mixture  with  human  feelings,  frames,  purposes  and  deeds. 
4th.  His  labors  for  the  children  and  the  currency  he  has  given  to 
the  conviction  that  tin-  youngest  are  old  enough  to  love  and  truel 
ami  serve  the  Saviour,  and  to  recognize  ami  Lament  their  disobedi- 
ence to  Him;  and  5th.  His  incitement  of  Christian  activity  and 
widening  the  range  of  it,  while  at  tin-  same  time  he  has  carried  it 
to  tin-  extent  of  indiscriminately  precipitating  an  entire  chnrch  on 
the  deli  cute  ground  of  counselling  inquirers  Mr.  Hammond  never 
conducted  a  meeting  in  Central  New  Kork,excep1  ai  Utica,  in 
and  that  resulted  in  numerous  converts,  principally  among  the 
young,  and  it  is  gratifying  \<>  !><•  aide  to  bear  witness  to  the  fact 
that, as  a  whole, they  have  well  stood  the  test  of  time,  and  that  the 
constancy  of  the  children,  shown  in  dying  as  well  as  in  living,  has 
been  a  perpetual  rebuke  of  the  unbelief  that  doubts  the  reliabil- 
ity of  their  conversion. 


■•»  \c 


2  9  2  PRESB  YTERIA  NISM  IN  THE 

control  in  the  proceedings  of  revivals  and  a  demission 
of  rights  and  responsibilities  by  ministers  who  allow  it, 
and  that  the  proper  use  of  them  is  sparing  and  as  the 
prompting  and  demand  of  opportunities  and  exigencies, 
and  not  the  expedient  for  relieving  pastors  and  people 
from  effort  and  covering  over  or  making  up  their  re- 
missness, or  feeding  the  lust  for  excitement. 

The  best  revivals,  the  pleasantest  while  current  and 
in  review,  the  least  faulty,  the  happiest  in  their  influence 
on  the  churches,  are  those  that  have  been  conducted  hj 
pastors  and  people,  and  which,  though  really  subject 
to  the  terms  and  unavoidable  experiences  already  de- 
scribed, have  the  air  and  movement  of  spontaneousness. 
The  }^ear  1858  furnishes  an  example  of  the  class.  Each 
favored  community  did  the  requisite  work  for  itself 
and  no  influence  was  perceptible  save  that  of  the  Holy 
Ghost 

And  Evangelists  can  so  perform  their  parts  as  to 
shun  unhealthy  excitement  and  painful  agitation,  and 
so  as  to  produce  solemity  and  tenderness  alone,  and  at 
the  same  time  achieve  notable  success.  Geneva  and 
Genesee  Synods  enjoyed  the  labors  of  one  of  this  class 
during  the  revivals  of  1826-36.  Samuel  G.  Orton  was 
humble,  serious,  devout  and  discreet  and  "  clothed 
with  salvation."  A  work  of  grace  conducted  by  him 
was  too  intense  and  spiritual  in  the  feeling  it  produced 
to  permit  turbulance  at  the  time  or  discussion  after- 
wards,and  to  such  an  extenl  did  he  unite  the  favorable 
judgment  of  good  men  upon  him,  that  the  Presbytery 
of  Buffalo  not  only  voted  their  unanimous  regard  for 
him  and  an  invitation  to  labor  throughout  their  bounds, 
but  provided  for  his  support 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  293 

Still  more  conspicuously  of  this  class  was  Rev.  Dr. 
Asahel  Nettleton.  The  substance  of  his  biographer's 
representation  may  be  given.  Without  being  intellect- 
ual or  brilliant,  he  was  exceedingly  sensible  and  "un- 
commonly discerning  and  skillful  in  handling  the  doc- 
trines of  grace"  and  penetrating  in  his  insight  into 
human  nature,  and  "able  better  than  most  to  place  the 
naked  truth  upon  the  conscience  and  to  demolish  with 
a  few  heavy  strokes  all  the  vain  excuses  and  refuges 
of  lies  to  which  sinners  resort"  His  forte  was  not  in 
the  pulpit,  but  in  the  combination  of  the  pulpit,  the 
chapel  and  private  conversation.  Wherever  he  went 
he  began  with  casting  oil  the  confidence  of  the  people 
in  himself  and  fastening  it  on  God.  He  then  labored 
earnestly  but  affectionately  to  bring  Christians  into  an 
adaptedness  to  the  sought  for  blessing  and  to  a  mind 
for  the  needful  work.  When  hopeful  signs  appeared,  he 
discouraged  exultation  and  publication  and  exaggera- 
tion, and  counselled  rejoicing  with  trembling  and  a  hu- 
mility and  anxiety  thai  forbade  boasting.  His  preach- 
ing was  plain  and  simple  and  perspicuous,  without  vehe- 
mence bu1  'piieiK  earnest,  with  familiar  and  apposite 
illustrations,  and  .-<»  searching  as  to  seem  personal  ami 
so  cutting  as  to  cleave  down  to  the  Lowest  sensibility. 

The  chapel  was  more  his  field  than  the   sanctuary,  and 

addressee  were  more  his  weapons  than  sermons.  Be 
came  thus  into  closer  quarters  with  his  bearers,  better 
saw  the  points  at  which  t<>  strike,  and  had  greater  free- 
dom lor  his  blows.  And  his  speaking  was  always  sub- 
dued, and  while  profound!}  impressive,  never  excited 
or  exciting.  Solemnity  was  the  sentimenl  lie  produced 
and  tin-  air  of  the  congregations  he  gathered     Hi-  gift 


*r 


294  PRESBYTER1AN1SM  IN  THE 

for  putting  the  truth  was  preeminently  in  religious  con- 
versation. He  effectively  exercised  it  in  all  circum- 
stances and  with  all  classes,  showing  unsurpassed  facil- 
ity in  introducing  and  dwelling  upon  it  and  inimitable 
tact  in  adapting  himself  to  individuals.  In  nothing  did 
he  excel  more  than  in  counselling  inquirers.  He  did 
not  talk  much  with  them,  lest  he  should  distract  them 
and  dissipate  their  impressions,  and  get  them  to  lean 
upon  him  and  delay  their  decision.  He  only  said 
enough  to  correct  false  notions-  and  to  make  clear 
the  exact  thing  to  be  done.  And  publicly  and  privately 
did  he  charge  the  fault  for  their  state  on  sinners  them- 
selves and  exhibit  their  impotence  as  their  fault,  and 
press  responsibility  upon  them  and  expose  their  apolo- 
gies and  the  wickedness  of  their  hesitation  and  delay 
and  urge  the  duty  of  immediate  repentance  and  faith. 
He  never  called  for  public  manifestations  of  feeling, 
but  deplored  and  deprecated  them,  and  he  avoided  all 
means  of  excitement  and  could  not  subject  men  to  open 
tests  of  human  devising  and  proposing,  and  which, 
while  occasions  for  happy  decisions  with  some,  might 
be  traps  to  ruin  with  others.*  The  cast  of  the  revivals 
under  Dr.  Nettleton  was  determined  by  his  mode  and 

*Mr.  Nettleton's  opposition  to  "  New  Measures"  awakened  a  hos- 
tility  in  him  which,  it  is  to  be  feared,  abated  his  revival  spirit, 
and  in  connection  with  his  infirm  health,  stopped  his  revival  work. 
In  his  assault  upon  them  he  did  not  appear  to  so  much  advantage  as 
Mr.  Finney  in  the  defence  of  himself.  The  human  came  out  in  him. 
So  much  the  master  before  on  the  field  of  Evangelism,  and  so 
much  accepted  as  oracular  about  it,  when  a  prominent  and  grow- 
ing figure  appeared  there  he  seemed  to  find  it  hard  to  share  au- 
thority with  him,  and  to  submit  to  the  decree,  "  He  must  increase, 
hut  I  must  decrease." 


i 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  295 

means  of  conducting  them.  "  They  did  not  strive  nor 
cry."  There  was  no  '"getting  up"  of  them,  no  agita- 
tion about  them,  no  noise  in  them.  They  awed 
and  subdued,  and  looked  back  upon,  the  feelings  awak- 
ened by  their  scenes  is  "  How  awe-inspiring  they  were 
and  how  truly  the  gates  of  heaven!  " 

MEETINGS   OF   THE    A.  B.  0.   F.   M.  AT    UTICA. 

The  American  Board  of  Commissioners  for  Foreign 
Missions  is  enshrined  in  the  affections  of  our  people, 
and  sacred  in  their  esteem.  No  association  ever  had 
such  a  place  in  their  hearts.  It  seemed  a  cruel  nee  ss- 
sity  that  separated  them  from  it,  and  submission  was 
yielded  only  because  the  cause  was  even  more  precious 
than  any  agency  for  promoting  it.  The  meetings  of 
the  Board  in  Central  New  York  awakened  much  inter- 
est therefore,  and  this  was  the  deeper  because  they 
were  the  great  religious  festivals  of  the  land. 

Both  meetings  were  held  at  Utica — the  first,  October 
8-10,  1834,  convened  in  the  Reformed  hutch  Church, 
observed  the  Lord's  Supper  in  the  Bleecker  Street 
Church,  and  carried  on  its  other  proceedings  in  the 
First  Presbyterian  Church  It  brought  together  twenty- 
eight  corporate  members,  but  one  of  whom  is  now  liv- 
ing, and  ninety-one  honorary  members,  but  nine  of 
whom  are  known  to  he  living,  and  aboul  two  hundred 
clergymen,  besides  elders,  deacons  and  private  chris- 
tians. The  President,  ex-Governor  John  Cotton 
Smith,  of  Connecticut,  occupied  the  chair,  assisted  by 
Vice  Presidenl  Stephen  Van  Rensselaer.  Dr.  Gardiner 
Spring  preached  the  sermon,  choosing   Matt    L0:< 


'  n  ■ 


29 6  PRESBYTERIANISM  IN  THE 

his  text,  and  President  Carnahan  offered  the  introduc- 
tory prayer.  Missionaries  Abeel  and  Winslow,  and 
Rev.  E.  N.  Kirk  made  popular  addresses,  and  Drs.  Mil- 
ler, Proudfit,  Palmer,  Dewitt  and  Patton  officiated  at 
the  ordinance  of  the  Supper.  Drs.  Samuel  MillerT 
James  Richards,  Justin  Edwards,  Leonard  Woodsr 
David  Porter,  B.  M.  Palmer,  Gardiner  Spring,  N.  S.  S. 
Beman  and  Secretary  Benjamin  B.  Wisner  (the  last  two 
among  the  ablest  parliamentary  speakers  the  Church  or 
the  State  has  produced)  and  Geri'it  Smith  took  a  public 
part  in  the  discussions,  and  among  those  in  attendance 
were  Rev.  Drs.  Calvin  Chapin,  Thomas  Dewitt,  William 
Adams,  Presidents  Joshua  Bates,  Nathan  Lord  and 
Sereno  E.  Dwight,  of  Middlebury,  Dartmouth  and 
Hamilton  Colleges,  and  Hons.  William  Reed,  Charles 
Marsh,  Nathaniel  W.  Howell  and  Samuel  T.  Arm- 
strong. "  The  claims  of  the  children  of  missionaries'7 
and  "  the  place  which  education  ought  to  hold  in  the  sys- 
tem of  missionary  operations,"  elicited  the  principal 
discussions.  The  first  was  "  settled,  it  is  presumed,  to 
the  satisfaction  of  all  present,"  by  the  appropriation  of 
sufficient  sums  for  the  traveling  expenses  of  children 
sent  to  this  country,  and  not  exceeding  $50  a  year  for 
each  boy,  and  not  exceeding  $40  for  each  girl,  until 
their  eighteenth  year  of  age,  and  up  to  the  amounts 
respectively  of  $300  and  $240 — the  presumption  being 
that  they  would  be  taken  into  Christian  families,  where 
the  appropriations  would  suffice,  and  which  was  better 
than  their  living  as  mere  boarders,  at  larger  expense. 
The  second  discussion  closed  with  the  adoption  of  a 
resolution,  not  unanimously  however,  that  "the  preach- 
ing of  the  gospel  by  the  living  voice  is  regarded  by  the 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  297 

Board  as  as  the  great  business  of  our  missionaries;  that 
the  preparation  and  circulation  of  the  Scriptures  and 
tracts  is  next  in  order,  and  that  the  establishment  and 
instruction  of  schools  and  other  labors  aimed  at  the 
amelioration  of  society  should  always  be  kept  subordi- 
nate to  the  others" 

Among  the  results  of  the  meeting  was  the  purpose 
of  Dr.  Grant,  then  an  elder  in  the  First  Church,  Utica, 
to  embark  in  foreign  missions,  and  soon  after  he  went 
to  the  Nestorians. 

The  summary  of  the  work  of  the  Board  for  the 
year  was  36  missions,  65  stations,  (nine  more  than  the 
previous  .year,)  96  ordained  missionaries,  seven  of 
whom  were  also  regular  physicians,  and  seven  others 
well  enough  read  for  medical  service,  six  printer.-. 
33  male  assistants,  teachers,  catechists,  farmers  and 
mechanics,  and  151  married  and  unmarried  female 
assistants,  making  a  total  of  293  missionaries  and  as- 
sistant missionaries  from  this  country,  48  of  whom 
were  sent  the  previous  year.  There  werealsofive  native 
preachers  and  -"»(.>  native  assistants,  40  churches,  with 
2,000  communicants,  and  40,000  scholars,  seven  print- 
ing establishments,  with  L3  presses  thai  issued  the  pre- 
vious year  21,735,463  pages  in  L6  different  langua 
seven  of  which  were  reduced  to  writing  by  missionaries 
of  the  Board  The  total  of  receipts  was  $152,886.  L0,  to- 
gether with  a  balance  of  $2,616.1  I  from  the  preceding 
year,  and  with  a  debt  for  L884  of  14,777.87. 

The  second  meeting  of  the  Board,  at  I  rtica,  was  held  in 
the  Firsl  Presbyterian  Church,  September  11    1  1.  I 
Chancellor  Frelinghuysen  being  in  the  chair.     Eighty- 
eighty  corporate  and  three  hundred  and  fifty-seven  hon- 


298  PRESBYTERIANISM  IN  THE 

orary  members  attended,  together  with  "  a  very  large 
concourse"  of  ministers  and  laymen,  male  and  female 
friends,  "a  fair  estimate"  reckoning  the  number  at 
over  2,200.  The  spacious  auditory,  with  its  unob- 
structed views  and  fine  acoustics,  together  with  the  ac- 
cessories to  the  main  building,  eminently  fitted  the  place 
for  the  occasion.  The  constant  scene  in  it  for  three 
days,  crowded  with  an  intelligent  and  cultivated  Chris- 
tian congregation,  with  e}^es  fixed  on  the  platform  and 
person  bending  towards  it,  or  head  bowed  in  prayer,  or 
standing,  and  with  its  multitude  of  accordant  voices, 
and  wrapt  countenances  pouring  out  songs  of  praise, 
was  the  acme  of  grandeur  and  inspiration.  Overflow 
meetings  for  missionary  addresses  filled  the  Eeformed 
and  Westminster  Churches,  and  though  more  private, 
the  meetings  of  returned  missionaries  and  their  families, 
and  of  women  and  children,  were  tender  and  spiritual 
enough  to  seem  on  the  confines  of  heaven. 

Kev.  Dr.  Nehemiah  Adams  preached  the  opening 
sermon,  taking  Galatians  2  :  20  as  his  text,  and  Dr.  S.  C. 
Aiken,  a  former  pastor  of  the  church,  and  Dr.  Wilkes, 
of  Montreal,  and  others,  performed  the  devotional  parts 
of  the  service.  "  The  commemoration  of  the  Saviour's 
love,  on  Thursday  afternoon,  was  a  hallowed  season. 
The  large  edifice  was  densely  filled  with  the  professed 
followers  of  Christ,  and  the  Master  himself  was  there. 
Dr.  Beman  presided,  prayer  was  offered  by  Dr.  Hawes 
and  Dr.  Taylor,  and  addresses  were  made  by  Dr. 
Thompson  and  Dr.  Palmer.  Meetings  for  prayer  and 
praise  were  held  on  Wednesday  and  Thursday  morn- 
ings, before  the  business  sessions  commenced.'"  and  the 
proceedings  were  suspended  from  time  to  time  by  ap- 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  2^9 

proaches  to  the  mercy  seat,  and  "whenever  devotional 
exercises  were  introduced  by  the  president,  there  was  a 
ready  response."' 

The  two  subjects  that  particularly  engaged  the  at- 
tention of  the  board  at  its  previous  meeting  in  Utica, 
quite  singularly  were  presented  at  this.  A  Select  Com- 
mittee was  appointed  to  "  consider  the  propriety  and  ex- 
pediency of  making  some  permanent  provision  for  the 
support  of  superannuated  and  disabled  missionaries, 
and  also  to  inquire  into  the  expediency  of  revising  the 
present  rules"respecting  the  children  of  missionaries. " 
Quite  an  animated  debate  sprung  up  in  reference  to 
the  part  of  the  annual  report  which  related  to  the 
Tamil  mission,  and  this  grew  out  of  rumors  about  the 
visit  of  the  "  Deputation  to  India,"  which  had  occurred 
during  the  year,  and  the  report  of  which  largely  con- 
cerned the  relation  of  schools  to  missions.  That  report 
was  presented  at  a  special  meeting  of  the  Board  in  Al- 
bany and  referred  to  a  Committee  of  Thirteen,  and  the 
report  of  this  committee,  adopted  at  the  annual  meeting 
of  the  board  in  Newark.  N.  J.,  was  tin.'  final  disposal  of 
the  subject 

The  report  of  Secretary  Wood  on  schools  in  the 
Choctaw  and  Cherokee  missions,  and  the  relation  of 
the  chuches  there  to  slavery,  was  a  feature  of  the 
meeting,  both  in  of  the  importance  and  in'1 

of  the  subject  and  the  thoroughness  and  judicial  spirit 

with  which  it  was  treated. 

The  summary  of  the  work  for  the  year  was  29  mis- 
sions, L20  stations  and  62  out-stations,  L57  ordained  mis- 
sionaries, seven  of  them  being  physicians  li  three 
.  en  physiciai              lained,  17  male  ;i- 


« 


300  PRESB  YTERIA  NISM  IN  THE 

ants,  203  female  assistants,  387  laborers  from  this  coun- 
try, 63  native  preachers,  229  native  helpers,  whole 
number  of  native  assistants  292,  and  whole  number  of 
laborers  connected  with  the  missions,  679;  11  printing 
establishments,  25,822,780  pages  printed  during  the 
year,  115  churches,  26,806  communicants,  11  semina- 
ries, 19  boarding-schools,  787  free  schools,  21,578 
pupils,  $310,427.77  receipts,  and  debt  of  $20,507.90. 
The  comparison  of  this  summary  with  that  of  1834, 
shows  the  immense  increase  in  twenty  years  of  the 
operations  of  the  Board. 

MEETINGS   OF   THE    GENERAL   ASSEMBLY. 

Two  sessions  of  the  N.  S.  General  Assembly  of  the 
Presbyterian  Church  in  the  U.  S.  A.,  have  been  held 
in  Central  New  York ;  the  first  at  Utica,  in  1851.  Kev. 
Albert  Barnes  presided.  Oneida  county  was  the  place 
of  his  birth  and  the  home  of  his  youth,  and  here  and 
at  Fairheld,  in  the  neighboring  county,  he  passed 
through  that  mental  struggle  which  delivered  him  from 
scepticism  and  brought  him  to  the  gospel,  and  thirty 
years  before  he  first  publicly  professed  his  faith  in  the 
Saviour,  and  avowed  his  consecration  to  him,  at  the 
church  of  his  parents  and  kindred  in  Kome.  He 
made  his  home  during  the  sitting  of  the  Assembly, 
with  Hon.  Hiram  Denio,  whom  it  is  no  extravagance 
to  put  in  the  same  list  of  judges  with  James  Kent 
and  Ambrose  Spencer.  They  were  playmates  and 
schoolmates  at  Kome,  and  room-mates  at  Fairfield,  and 
the  friendship  cemented  there  suffered  no  fracture  in  the 
long  interval.     Indeed,  Mr.  Barnes  had  just  before  ded- 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW    YORK.  3Ui 

icated  his  book  on  the  "Atonement"  to  Judge  Denior 
calling  up  the  tender  reminiscences  which  both  fondly 
cherished.  "  We  began  life  together,"  he  writes.  "  We 
were  both  in  a  comparatively  humble,  but  respectable 
position,  and  we  have  both*  been  directed  by  an  over- 
ruling hand  in  paths  which  we  did  not  at  first  contem- 
plate. Both,  when  we  left  our  homes  to  seek  an  educa- 
tion, designed  to  pursue  the  study  of  the  law,  but  in 
our  professional  pursuits  and  in  the  general  course  of 
our  lives,  we  have  been  led  in  different  ways.  You  by 
talent,  by  industry,  by  integrity,  have  risen  to  that 
position  deservedly  high,  which  you  now  occupy,  as 
one  of  the  judges  of  the  highest  court  of  our  native 
State.  My  thoughts  were  early  turned  to  a  different 
profession  and  my  steps  have  been  directed  in  another 
course.  Both  of  us  have  been  prospered,  and  now  we 
have  reached  that  period  of  life  in  which  we  cannot 
but  be  looking  forward  to  its  close.  I  have  a  pleasure 
in  referring  in  this  manner  to  the  time  when  we  began 
life  together,  and  in  connecting  your  name  with  this 
book."  They  were  singularly  alike.  Judge  Denio  was 
the  superior  in  intellect  and  accuracy,  but  both  were 
I <(r  similes  of  each  other  in  modesty  ami  integrity  and 
purity,  and  also  in  quiet  determination  and  calm  cour- 
age and  tireless  industry.  At  the  meeting  of  the  As- 
sembly, Mr.  Barnes  was  full  of  the  recollections  which 
the  region  called  up,  and  1  remember  being  particnlarlj 
impressed  by  the  naturalness  and  entire  freedom  from 
false  pride,  with  which  he  described  the  feelings  enter- 
tained by  him  in  youth  towards  particular  families 
known  to  us  both,  of  bigh  Bocial   position  in  the  com- 

inanity  then  and  now. 
Z 


302  PRESBTTERIAN1SM  IN  THE 

The  old  First  Church,  capacious,  simple,  but  tasteful, 
shooting  up  a  graceful  spire  high  toward  the  heavens,  a 
wide  land-mark,  with  the  most  sacred  associations  clus- 
tering and  crowding  upon  it,  had  been  tired  by  one  of  its 
children  of  the  covenant  and  lay  in  ashes.  The  Assem- 
bly opened  in  a  public  hall,  where  the  congregation 
worshiped ;  but  sister  churches  opening  their  doors  to 
it,  the  Bleecker  Street  Baptist  Church  was  accepted  for 
all  ordinary  purposes,  and  special  meetings  convened 
in  the  Westminster  and  Reformed  Churches.  Dr. 
David  H.  Kiddle,  of  Pittsburg,  the  previous  Modera- 
tor, opened  the  Assembly  with  a  sermon  from  Is.  60  :  8 
which  was  requested  for  publication.  Dr.  Thornton  A. 
Mills  delivered  the  Home  Missionary  sermon  with  great 
effect,  contributing  powerfully  to  the  adoption  of  the 
denominational  policy  in  conducting  the  evangelization 
of  the  land.  An  unusually  able  representation  from 
the  Presbyteries  appeared,  containing  in  it  besides  Mr. 
Barnes  and  Rev.  Drs.  Riddle  and  Mills,  Drs.  Timothy 
Woodbridge,  Joel  Parker,  J.  W.  McLane.  D.  B.  Coer 
J.  B.  Condit,  H.  L.  Hitchcock,  with  Dr.  Dirck  C.  Lansing 
as  a  delegate  from  the  New  York  State  Association, 
Judge  Wm.  Strong,  Dr.  J.  Marshal  Paul,  Hon.  A.  B. 
Conger,  Eurotas  P.  Hastings,  and  Elisha  Taylor. 

Those  were  the  days  in  which  Presbyterianism  and 
Congregationalism  were  brought  into  competition  and 
occasional  unpleasantness  arose  between  them.  The 
Assembly  voted  to  continue  correspondence  with  the 
New  York  Association,  but  deplored  the  proselytism  it 
had  shown.  It  also  received  the  Presbytery  of  Mil- 
waukee, seated  Rev.  Wm.  H.  Spencer  as  a  Commis- 
sioner   from    it,    and    so    sanctioned    and    advised  the 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  303 

withdrawal  of  our  churches  from  the  mixed  convention 
of  Wisconsin,  and  their  gathering  under  our  own  Judi- 
catories in  that  State.  The  Judicial  Committee  "con- 
gratulated the  General  Assembly  on  the  peaceful  and 
happy  relations  of  our  ecclesiastical  courts,  and  the 
manifest  disposition  to  terminate  personal  difficulties 
without  extended  litigation.  But  a  single  paper  was 
referred  to  the  Committee,  and  that  allows  no  action  by 
this  General  Assembly."  The  session  was  signalized  by 
the  visit  to  Uticaof  the  President  of  the  United  States, 
Gen.  Zachary  Taylor,  and  the  Assembly  was  invited  by 
the  citizens  and  Common  Council  to  join  them  in  receiv- 
ing him,  and  there  seems  to  have  been  special  life  and 
agreeableness  in  the  entertainment  it  received.  The 
statistical  report  for  the  year  was  104  Presbyteries,  1.490 
ministers,  1,579  churches,  and  140,076  communicants. 

The  second  meeting  of  the  N.  S.  General  Assembly 
in  Central  New  York,  was  held  at  Syracuse  in  1861, 
Rev.  Dr.  Jonathan  B.  Condit,  of  Auburn  Theological 
Seminary,  being  moderator.  Occurring  in  the  midst  of 
the  war  for  the  Union,  numerous  incidents  conne 
with  that,  both  in  the  body  and  in  the  community, 
heightened  the  interesl  of  the  occasion,  and  the  com- 
missioners were  often  called  ou1  by  the  citizens  to  give 
expression  to  public  feeling,  and  also  direction  and  in- 
tensity. Patriotic  resolutions  were  introduced  early  in 
the  session  and  advocated  by  eloquenl  speeches,  repro- 
bating the  "  unlawful  and  treasonable  acts"  then  com 
mitted  against  the  Government  affirming  "undimin- 
ished attachment  to  the  great  principles  of  civil  and 
religious  freedom"-  declaring  that  "no  blood  or  treas 
are  was  too  precious  to  be  devoted   to  the  defence  and 


304  PRESBYTERIANISM  IN  THE 

perpetuity  of  the  Government  in  all  its  constitutional 
authority" — pronouncing  those  who  were  "endeavor- 
ing to  uphold  the  Constitution  and  maintain  the  Gov- 
ernment of  these  United  States  in  the  exercise  of  its 
lawful  prerogatives,  entitled  to  the  sympathy  and  sup- 
port of  all  Christian  and  law-abiding  citizens — recom- 
mending instant  and  fervent  prayer  for  the  President, 
and  all  in  authority  under  him — mourning  "the  coun- 
tenance which  many  ministers  of  the  gospel  and  other 
professing  Christians  are  now  giving  to  treason  and  re- 
bellion, and  though  with  nothing  to  add  to  former  tes- 
timonials on  slavery,  calling  on  the  people  to  pray  more 
fervently  than  ever  for  the  removal  of  this  evil  which 
lies  at  the  foundation  of  our  present  national  diffi- 
culties." 

This  Assembly  perfected  the  arrangements  for  "  con- 
ducting our  own  home  missionary  work1'  and  inaugu- 
rated "  the  Presbyterian  Committee  of  Home  Missions  ;" 
and  took  the  steps  that  led  to  the  establishment  of  "  the 
Committee  for  Disabled  Ministers"  and  repealing  all 
former  acts  on  the  subject,  established  the  rules  for  the 
guidance  of  the  "  Permanent  Committee  on  Education 
for  the  Ministry"  and  for  applications  to  it.  The  sum- 
mary for  the  year  was  1,558  ministers,  1,478  churches, 
134,760  communicants,  and  $298,025.73  benevolent 
contributions. 


PREVISIONS   QF   THE    FUTURE, 

The  past  projects  itself  into  the  future,  and  gives 
augury  of  it.  While,  in  general,  bright  scenes,  with  pass- 
ing  Bhadows,  rise  to  view,  something  of  detail  is  fore- 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  305 

cast.  There  may  be  fallings  away  which,  if  tears  are 
known  in  heaven,  would  make  our  fathers  weep,  and  a 
decline  in  some  respects  already  appears.  Prevailing 
piety  has  lost  depth  and  thoroughness.  Religious  ex- 
perience is  more  superficial  and  religious  living  more 
divided.  There  is  less  soul  exercise  and  less  separation 
from  the  world — less  spirituality,  less  peculiarity,  less 
earnestness,  less  principle.  Godliness  may  become  a 
light  affair,  and  little  distinguishable  from  worldliness. 
The  type  of  prevailing  conversion  is  somewhat  omin- 
ous here.  It  is  too  easy,  so  to  speak,  too  gentle,  im- 
pelled by  too  slight  conviction  of  sin,  involving  to© 
slight  a  turning  of  the  soul,  and  stopping  short  of  a 
revolution  of  being  and  a  reversal  of  its  drift. 

Some  ministerial  and  Christian  practices  may  be  fore- 
seen. Beginning  with  the  beginning,  the  religious 
education  of  children  lies  in  the  vista.  One  mode  of 
performing  the  part  the  church  has  in  it,  comes  t<»  view. 
Sunday  schools  have  become  its  agency  here,  and  vet 
they  stay  where  there  original  purpose  properly  placed 
them — outside  of  its  pale.  They  are  not  its  institution, 
but  th<;  institution  of  some  of  its  members,  who  volun- 
teer to  maintain  and  conduct  it.  It  is  not  incorpo- 
rated with  the  church.  It  is  not  brought  into  its  or 
ganism.  It  is  not  controlled  by  its  officers.  But  if 
Sunday  schools  furnish  it-  best  means  for  the  religions 
education  of  children,  then  they  must  belong  to  the 
church,  and  in  common  with  all  its  instrumentalities, 
bhey  musl  be  worked  under  its  management  and  con- 
trol The  change  of  position  and  authority  will  de- 
mand caution  and  skill,  l>ut  it  can  he  made  without 
sheck  to  those  who  bave  been  engaged   in   the  schools, 


8  0  6  PRESB  YTER1A  NISM  IN  THE 

and  even  without  any  conscious  recognition  of  it  by 
them,  and  without  restraint  on  the  previous  freedom  of 
their  service,  and  without  diminution  of  their  interest 
in  them  or  of  their  sense  of  obligation  in  connection 
with  them.  But  if  removed  to  within  the  churches,  a 
new  responsibility  devolves  on  ministers  and  elders. 
The  schools  will  demand  more  of  their  attention  and 
labors.  Ministers  especially,  will  as  diligently  prepare 
for  them  as  for  the  pulpit  and  be  as  prominent  in  them. 

We  will  not  anticipate  slackness  in  Christian  benefi- 
cence. It  would  be  too  false  to  the  traditions  of  the 
past — too  wide  from  its  normal  sequent.  The  training 
received  and  the  habit  formed  must  make  liberality 
and  enterprise  and  world-wide  usefulness  the  practice 
of  generations  to  come.  And  the  sense  of  responsibil- 
ity in  the  ministry  in  connection  with  the  offerings  of 
the  churches  ought  to  be  sure  to  spread  until  "  gather- 
ings" from  them  shall  be  generally  accepted  as  really  a 
function  to  be  performed  as  preaching.  A  long  step 
towards  this  has  been  taken  by  the  dismissal  of  solicit- 
ing agents.  To  stop  there  would  be  a  depletion  of  the 
treasury  of  the  Lord.  Diligent  collections  by  pastors 
and  supplies  must  follow. 

The  work  of  benevolence  among  the  Freedmen  of  the 
South  proves  only  to  have  begun.  Tearing  down  is  light 
labor  compared  with  building  up.  Slavery  lies  in  ruins, 
but  the  first  stone  of  regulated  liberty  is  to  be  laid. 
What  confusion  abounds.  What  desolation  prevails. 
The  veil  has  been  lately  lifted  and  the  scene  brought 
near.  How  immense  the  work  to  be  done.  How  faith 
and  hope  falter  under  the  disclosure  of  it.  And  states- 
manship makes  confusion  worse  confounded.     It  deter* 


SYNOD  OF  VENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  307 

riorates  into  partisanship  and  its  agents  prove  cormo- 
rants and  its  schemes  defeat  their  own  objects  and  return 
to  torment  their  inventors.  Nothing  but  the  gospe! 
can  meet  the  emergency.  Legislation  is  of  little  ac- 
count for  good  and  often  aggravates  the  evil.  Education 
even  cannot  suffice.  By  astounding  revelations,  Prov- 
idence shuts  us  up  to  evangelization.  If  not  retribu- 
tive for  remissness,  the  divine  dispensations  of  late  are 
instructive  and  mandatory.  Especially  do  they  ad 
the  church.  Its  meagre  contributions  to  it  made  work 
for  the  Freedmen  well  nigh  contemptible:  1.69*>  of  our 
churches  gave  less  than  $34,000  last  year,  and  3,185  of 
our  churches  gave  nothing,  and  there  has  been  an  un- 
altered feeling  that  the  cause  is  small  and  unimportant, 
and  that  farthings  would  suffice  at  least  to  turn  off  its 
appeal.  The  astounding  revelation  has  been  made  that 
these  utterly  demoralized,  yet  teachable  and  tractable 
people  hold  the  balance  of  power  in  our  nation  and  they 
determine  the  incoming  administration  of  our  national 
affaire.  Patriotism  combines  with  humanity  and  relig- 
ion in  laying  them  upon  us.  and  their  protection  and  ele- 
vation in  the  enjoyment  of  liberty  may  cosl  more 
than  their  deliverance  from  slavery. 

The  Old  Presbyterian  principle  and  practice  of  direct 
and  specific  action  on  popular  and  civil  rights  instead 
of  a  genera]  influence,  must  continue  the  conviction 
and  policy  of  our  ministers  and  churches.     Safety  and 

quiel  and  COmforl  and  outward   thrift  will   still  l n 

sulted  by  an  indefinite  and  intactible  application  of  the 
■  •I  to  them,  but  the  design  of  that  great  panacea  it  the 
•  •"ir.-ei';.. n  <>f  wrong,  and  not  the  good  will  of 


308  PRB8BYTRRIANJSM  IN  THE 

doers.  Public  and  private  offenders,  officials  and  citizens. 
individuals  and  communities  and  the  Government  will 
fed  an  ecclesiastical  pressure  and  receive  ecclesiastical 
rebuke 

Intemperance,  of  course  will  secure  attention  and  be 
more  intelligently  treated.  The  sons  stand  on  the  shoul- 
ders of  the  fathers.  They  have  the  advantage  of  the 
long  experience  and  the  many  experiments  before  their 
day.  Thus  much  has  already  been  learned.  Conver- 
sion is  the  drunkard's  only  reliable  reformation,  and  the 
gospel  therefore  is  the  indispensable  prescription  for  him. 
How  best  to  suppress  drunkard-making  remains  for 
inquiry  and  conference,  but  this  has  been  ascertained : 
Legal  prohibition  of  itself  and  alone  closes  no  bare.  Its 
force  consists  in  the  self-summoned  posse  of  temper- 
ance men  and  women.  And  while  law  used  is  an  ac- 
tive power,  made  the  receptacle  of  people's  duties  it  is  a 
feeble,  motionless  affair.  Legislation,  as  a  labor-saving 
operation,  is  disastrous  to  reformation. 

There  are  evils  peculiar  to  the  territory  of  the  Synod 
thai  musl  compel  notice. 

Factory  cheese  making  is  crying  havoc  among  our 
churches  in  daiiw  districts.  They  are  dying  out  from 
n.  and  the  process  is  quite  intelligible.  There  cannot 
but  be  doubt  about  the  Sabbath  delivery  of  milk  for 
manufacturing  uses,  and  the  Christian  who  practices  it 
must  be  condemned  for  it.  and  he  cannot  persist  in  it 
without  sacrificing  bis  spirituality  and  separating  from 
dod.  and  churches  largely  made  up  of  >nr\\  christians 

cannot  li\  c. 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  309 

Hop-raising  is  a  like  fatal  evil.  With  all  their  argu- 
ments for  it,  church  members  cannot  repress  misgivings 
about  it.  "He  that  doubteth  is  damned."  Unless 
fully  believed  to  be  right,  hop  raising  is  sin.  and  no 
Christian  can  have  that  on  his  conscience  and  keep  up 
friendship  and  communion  with  God,  and  a  church  of 
hop-raisers  must  decline  and  finally  perish. 

How  to  correct  these  evils  is  the  question,  and  their 
spreading  destructiveness  must  give  increasing  intent- 
ness  to  its  consideration. 

There  is  still  another  evil  peculiar  to  the-  territory  of 
the  Synod  which  it  brings  blushes  to  name.  Kight  at 
its  heart  is  "the  Oneida  Community."  A  herding  of 
men  and  women,  like  cattle,  exists  here,  flaunting  its 
beastliness  in  our  faces.  How  that  can  be  may  well 
excite  wonder — but  greater,  far.  the  wonder  that  it  is 
not  stench  enough  to  the  nostrils  and  horror  enough  to 
the  soul  to  com] >el  it  to  depart  Foul  as  Mormonism 
is.  it  is  not  a  promiscuous  mingling  of  the  sexes,  and 
Tlluiois.  in  its  uncouth  days,  could  not  tolerate  even 
Mormonism,     How  the  "Oneida  Community"  plague 

can  be  removed,  ought  to  exercise  the  minds  of  all 
Christians  especially,  and  of  all  good  citizens  and 
virtuous  men.  The  Synod  has  already  raised  the  in- 
quiry and  addressed   it  to   the   public,  and  the  agitation 

of  the  subject    must    go   on    and   the  conclusion    finally 

come,  that  whal  ought  to  be  done  Bhall  be  done.     Sad 

and  mortifying  it  must  be  and  fatal  if  there  is  not 
power  lo  ejecl  it   from  the  body  politic,  and  alas  for  the 

church  if  it  does  not  efficient!}  help  for  such  a  relief. 

But  what   of    the    work    of    the    Spirit'.'       We    are    nol 

prophets  aor  sons  of  prophets.     No  foresight  of  divine 


310  PRESB  YTER1A  N1SM  IN  THE 

influences  is  given  to  us  or  inherited  by  us  and  they 
are  so  absolutely  sovereign  as  to  preclude  inferences. 
If,  however,  the  past  can  be  taken  as  an  index  of  the 
future,  then  we  may  fancy  at  least  a  course  of  brighten- 
ing grace  and  glory,  and  with  such  a  license  for  the 
imagination  what  conceptions  we  may  form  of  the  com- 
ing operations  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  how  we  should 
labor  and  pray  to  make  these  conceptions  the  prefigur- 
ings  of  actual  events. 


APPENDIX. 


A  narrative  of  occurrences  at  the  meeting  in  Uticar 
1835,  of  the  State  Anti-Slavery  Convention,  is  in- 
complete if  it  leaves  out  the  part  performed  by  Lewis 
Tappan.  A  thousand  delegates  assembled  amid  hoot- 
ings  and  yells  and  the  ringing  of  alarm  bells  and  the 
roaring  of  cannon.  Window-shutters,  torn  from  their 
hinges,  were  ready  for  sweeping  blows,  and  tire  engines 
filled  from  sewers  and  with  acids  from  drug  shops,  d 
up  to  flood  the  body.  Leaping  over  the  tops  of  the 
3,  with  fitting  dignity  and  grace  of  posture  and 
movement,  the  committee  of  citizens  tame  up  to  the 
Chair  and  commanded  the  Convention  to  disperse.  But 
the  session  proceeded,  and  the  constitution  for  a  S 
Society  was  adopted,  and  then  Lewis  Tappan  com- 
menced reading  a  ,:  declaration  of  sentiment,"  and  the 
uproar  arose  to  its  highest  Mr.  Tappan,  howei  er,  went 
deliberately  on  to  the  close  -his  strong,  clear  voice 
ringing  out  in  clarion  notes  above  tin.-  hideous  noise. 
The  paper  was  adopted  and  then  the  Convention  >d- 
jouriied  to  Peterboro.     Mi-.  Tappan  visited  tin-  c 

afterwards  ;  and,  writing  to  an  anti-slavery  journal, 
archly  remarked,   that   Theodore    Weld    add 
packed  congregation  the  nighl  before,  in  the  1".  - 
Street  Church,  with  none  to  disturb  him. 


3  1 2  PR  BOB  YTER1A  A  ISM  IN  THE 

HAMILTON   COLLEGE. 

Several  references  have  been  made  to  Hamilton  Col- 
lege in  the  course  of  this  sketch,  and  a  description 
given  of  its  origin.  The  intent  of  it  in  the  founder's 
mind  is  expressed  in  a  preamble  to  the  title-deed  to 
lands  he  conveyed  for  its  establishment  and  care : 

A  serious  consideration  of  the  importance  of  education,  and  an 
early  improvement  and  cultivation  of  the  human  mind,  together 
with  the  situation  of  the  frontier  settlement  of  this  part  of  the 
State,  though  extensive  and  flourishing,  yet  destitute  of  any  well- 
regulated  seminary  of  learning,  has  induced  and  determined  me 
to  contribute  of  the  ability  wherewith  my  Heavenly  Benefactor 
hath  blessed  me  towards  laying  the  foundation  and  support  of  a 
school  or  academy  in  the  town  of  Whitestown,  county  of  Herki- 
mer, (Herkimer  county,  then  covering  this  region,)  contiguous  to 
t lie  Oneida  Nation  of  Indians,  for  the  mutual  benefitof  the  young 
and  flourishing  settlements  in  said  county,  and  the  various  tribes 
of  confederated  Indians,  earnestly  wishing  the  institution  may 
grow  and  flourish,  that  the  advantages  of  it  may  be  extensive  and 
lasting,  and  that  under  the  smiles  of  the  God  of  wisdom  and  good- 
ness, it  may  prove  an  eminent  means  of  diffusing  useful  knowl- 
edge, enlarging  the  bounds  of  human  happiness,  aiding  the  reign 
of  virtue  and  the  Kingdom  of  the  Blessed  Redeemer. 

It  was  designed  as  a  Christian  Institution  for  advanced 
education.  Religion  and  learning  were  its  proposed 
purpose,  and  their  promotion  its  intended  work.  The 
fruit  it  has  borne  has  largely  come  from  pious  culture. 
and  largely  dropped  into  the  lap  of  the  church.  Much 
of  its  record  is  in  ecclesiastical  history,  and  especially 
in  the  history  of  our  Synod,  and  it  has  made  no  little 
of  the  history  of  our  ministers  and  churchea 

ITS   A.CADEMIC    PERIOD; 

Starting  as  an  academy,  it  was  placed,  in  1793,  ondei 
b  Board  of  Trustees,  consisting  of  Alexander  Hamil- 


SYNOU  OF  VENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  313 

ton,  the  statesman  of  our  country,  John  Lansing,  Chan- 
cellor of  the  State.  Kgbert  Benson,  Erastus  Clark, 
Thomas  R  Gold,  distinguished  lawyers,  Jonas  Piatt,  a 
noted  judge,  the  missionary  John  Sergeant,  Jr.,  a  son 
of  his  father,  and  Dan.  Bradley,  Eli  Bristol,  Sewal  Hop- 
kins. Michael  Myers,  Jedediah  Sanger,  Timothy  Tultle 
and  Samuel  Wells,  prominent  clergymen  and  citizens. 
The  subscription  for  the  building  was  moderate  and 
largely  in  materials  and  labor,  only  £86.18  out  of 
£168.8  being  in  cash.  Mr.  Kirkland  headed  it  with 
"£10  and  15  days'  work ;  also  300  acres  of  land  for  the 
use  and  benefit  of  the  academy,  to  he  loaned,  and  the 
product  to  be  applied  towards  the  support  of  an  able 
instructor."'  Among  the  subscribers  were  Elias  Knur. 
(£10,)  one  of  three  brothers  in  Albany,  whose  trade 
figured  largely  in  the  early  commerce  of  Central  New 
York,  Oliver  Phelps,  (£10,)  of  Canandaigua,  one  of  the 
firm  of  Phelps  and  Gorharn,  in  the  great  "  Western 
New  York  purchase,"  and  Peter  Smith,  (£10,)  father  of 
Gerrit  Smith    and  the  architect  <>t  the   Large  fortune 

which  his  son  inherited.  The  collection  of  the  sub- 
scription in  labor  and  lumber  cosl  Mr.  Kirkland  much 
summoning  and  urging  n»  the  woods  and  toilsome  lead- 
ing in  the  chopping  there  ;  hut  lie  allowed  no  "  letting- 
up"  or  "letting-off,"  and  July   I.   L794,  the  cornerstone 

was  laid  by  Baron  Steuben,  attended  with  all  the  ceic 
uioiiv  and  display,  quite  primitive  to  be  sure,  that  the 
times  and  circumstances  permitted     'The  frame  veal 

up    too,    and    was    enclosed  :      hut    there     the    structure 
stopped,  and    tor    two    years    it    stood    a    monument     tt> 
passers -bj   of    the  builder's  lolly  and  the    inspiration    of 
their  jokes.       Bui   not  a  whit  did  M  r.    K  nklaud-  res.. In 
a- 


314  PRESBTTERIANISM  IN  THE 

tion  abate.  Biding  his  time,  he  set  operations  going 
again  and  finished  one  large  and  two  small  rooms  and 
two  chimnies.  This  exhausted  him  once  more,  and  kept 
him  at  rest  for  several  years  ;  but  rising  then,  enough 
of  the  interior  was  finished  for  the  necessary  uses  of 
a  school  and  with  teachers  installed  within,  the  doors 
were  opened  for  scholars. 

ITS   SITE. 

A  lofty  site  was  selected,  not  only  with  reference  to 
undisturbed  study  and  a  removal  from  temptation,  but 
also  perhaps  from  the  sanitary  considerations  which  ex- 
cluded the  first  settlers  from  valleys  and  perched  them 
on  hills.  Steep  enough  and  long  enough  is  the  ascent  to 
this  hall  of  the  muses,  but  it  is  the  best  of  gymnasia, 
furnishing  healthful  exercise,  and  the  best  of  towers 
for  the  most  sweeping  of  glances  and  the  most  magni- 
ficent of  views.  Nowhere  is  the  book  of  nature  so 
spread  out  to  students  of  the  text-books  of  literature 
and  science. 


CHANGE    OF   SCENE    AND    CONDITION. 

Mr.  Kirkland  penetrated  a  forest,  where  he  went  to 
build.  That  thick,  rude  growth  has  disappeared,  and 
there  follows  it  a  tastefully  and  artistically  arranged 
park  in  the  English  style, with  graceful  roads  and  foot- 
paths, and  trees  and  shrubs,  deciduous  and  evergreen, 
of  every  desirable  description  which  the  climate  allows. 
Bel  with  a  principal  view  to  landscape  effect,  and  plots 
of  shrubs  and  flowering  plants 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  315 

Mr.  Kirkland's  wooden  building  of  nameless  archi- 
tecture, three  stories  high  and  ninety  feet  long  and 
thirty-eight  wide,  has  retired,  and  three  large  dormito- 
ries, each  four  stories  high  and  ninety-eight  feet  long 
and  forty-nine  wide,  and  a  chapel,  three  stories  high, 
eighty-one  feet  long  and  fifty-one  wide,  with  lecture  and 
recitation  rooms,  and  a  hall  of  natural  history  and  a 
laboratory  and  gymnasium,  all  of  stone,  an  observatory 
at  which  twenty-seven  asteroids  have  been  discovered, 
a  library  and  a  society  hall,  some  of  them  finely  de- 
signed, and  a  president's  mansion,  costing  $25,000,  have 
come  in  its  place,  with  books  and  cabin ents  and  instru- 
ments and  apparatus  worth  $120,000.  The  Faculty, 
that  began  with  one  member,  has  been  multiplied  to 
thirteen.  Buildings  and  land,  amounting  to  a  few 
thousand  dollars,  have  risen  to  $200,000,  and  nil  in 
productive  funds,  has  swollen  to  §300,000,  (but  with  the 
drawback  of  an  $100,000  debt,)  together  with  twelve 
prize  funds,  ranging  from  $500  to  $1,500,  in  Rhetoric, 
Chemistry,  Mathematics,  Biblical  Scholarship,  Natural 
History,  Classics,  and  for  the  best  essays  and  orations  on 
Alexander  Hamilton  and  the  Duties  of  Educated  Young 
Men  to  the  State,  and  for  the  besl  oration  best  spoken 
at  commencement,  and  for  superiority  in  extemporaneous 
debate,  $50,000  to  aid  beneficiaries,  and  ,^lo,000  for  the 
constanl  replenishment  of  the  Library. 


CHARACTER    OK    THE    [NSTBUCTIOH    in    THE   ACADEMY. 

The  Academy  had  culture  under  choice  bands,  indi- 
cated i>v  the  name  of  one,  not  Buperior  to  the  restj  but 

i 


816  PRESB  YTERIA  N1SM  IN  THE 

more  widely  known — Professor  James  Murdock* — sub- 
sequently of  the  Chair  of  Languages  in  the  University 
of  Vermont,  and  after  that  of  Ecclesiastical  History  in 
the  A  ndover  Theological  Seminary,  with  Mosheim  as 
a  memento  of  him  with  every  theological  student  and 
every  minister  of  the  gospel. 


*  Dr.  Murdock  wrote:  "My  connection  with  the  Hamilton 
Oneida  Academy  was  in  the  year  1799-1800.  Mr.  Niles,  the  first 
preceptor,  entered  on  his  duties  in  the  autumn  of  1798.  The  next 
spring  he  visited  Connecticut,  married  a  wife  and  solicited  me  to 
take  part  with  him  in  the  Academy.  I  remained  in  New  Haven 
long  enough  to  secure  the  Berkleian  stipend  for  that  academic 
year,  and  then  started  for  Clinton.  When  the  Board  met  in  Sep- 
tember, Mr.  Niles  and  myself  proposed  to  take  the  oversight  of 
the  Academy  for  one  year,  and  receive  for  compensation  the 
amount  of  the  tuition.  The  trustees  agreed,  and  we  fulfilled  the 
engagement.  The  building  was  unfinished,  except  the  large 
school-room  on  the  second  floor,  across  the  south  end  of  the  build- 
ing, and  two  rooms  on  the  first  floor,  front  side,  between  the  two 
doors.  The  school  was  pretty  large,  especially  the  male  depart- 
inent,  which  contained  several  men  pursuing  the  higher  branches. 
The  female  department  embraced  about  twenty  young  ladies, 
many  of  them  from  neighboring  towns.  We  went  on  pleasantly, 
but  found  the  tuition  totally  inadequate  to  our  support.  At  the 
close  of  the  year,  the  trustees  voted  to  employ  Mr.  Niles,  and  1 
retired  with  a  handsome  vote  of  thanks  for  my  services.  Mr. 
Niles  remained  another  year,  and  then  resigned  on  the  ground  of 
declining  health  I  resumed  the  study  of  theology  under  the  di- 
rection of  Dr.  Norton,  was  licensed  by  the  Oneida  Association, 
preached  my  first  sermon  at  Dr  Norton's  lecture,  January,  1801, 
and  afterwards  supplied  New  Hartford  for  ten  Sabbaths,  and  then 
returned  to  New  Haven.  During  my  connection  with  the  Acad- 
emy, there  was  much  religious  excitement  in  it,  especially  among 
the  females,  and  also  in  the  parish."  Sixty-nine  new  members 
were  added  to  the  ehurch  in  Clinton  in  1800,  and  sixtv  in  1801. 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  317 

THE   COLLEGE    PERIOD. 

Fairfield,  in  Herkimer  county,  with  the  prestige  of 
a  noted  academy  there,  offered  for  the  site  of  a  college 
which  it  was  determined  to  establish  in  these  parts,  but 
the  principal  of  that  academy  was  enlisted  to  raise 
$50,000  for  Clinton,  and  in  1812  it  rejoiced  in  the  char- 
ter for  a  college.  This  sum  was  as  large  for  its  day  as 
the  immense  sums  now  raised  in  the  interest  of  educa- 
tion for  our  day.  The  subscription  paper  bore  well- 
known  names  throughout  the  State.  Stephen  Van 
Rensselaer's  stood  opposite,  $1,000,  (the  largest  pledge,) 
and  Governor  Daniel  D.  Tompkins'  opposite  $50u. 

PRESIDENT    BACKUS. 

The  first  President  was  Dr.  Aze\  Backus,  a  graduate 
of  Yale  and  pastor  for  twenty-three  years  at  Bethlem, 
Ct,  as  successor  of  Dr.  Bellamy,  and  whose  preparation 
for  the  place  had  been  going  on  in  part,  in  a  private 
school,  by  which  he  eked  out  a  support  for  his  family. 
A  happier  choice  eon  Id  not  have  been  made  Tradi- 
tion still  fills  the  community  with  stories  of  him. 
Portly  and  imposing  in  person,  he  could  easily  put  on 
dignity  and  majesty,  while    lithe   and    mobile,  he  could 

as  easily  pu1  forth  vigor  and  action.  All  the  elements 
of  popular  eloquence  me1  in  him — intellect,  intelli- 
gence, sensibility,  earnestness,  boldness,  pathos  and 
humor.  It  cost  him  effort  to  restrain  sallies  of  wit  in 
the  pulpit,  and  often  they  bore  him  away,  but  still 
oftener  tenderness  filled  his  eyes  with  tears.  Hi-  abil- 
ity and  attainments  commanded  respect,  his  hearti- 
ness  attracted    regard,  his  capital  judgment  and   tact 


318  PRESB  TTER1ANISM  IN  THE 

secured  favor.  In  the  little  world  within  college  walls 
he  reigned  supreme  by  universal  concession,  and  his 
appearance  in  public  was  the  signal  for  smiles  and  the 
call  for  attention.  He  was  the  man  for  the  place  and 
for  the  time,  and  dying  in  1816,  after  the  short  service 
of  four  years  and  at  the  early  age  of  fifty-one,  his  re- 
moval was  deemed  an  irreparable  loss. 


PRESIDENT   DAVIS. 

The  antecedents  of  Eev.  Dr.  Henry  Davis,  who 
was  set  over  the  College  in  1817,  justified  his  appoint- 
ment and  made  his  acceptance  of  it  a  gratifying  sur- 
prise. His  previous  life  had  been  wholly  that  of  a 
scholar  and  teacher,  and  at  successive  steps  in  it  he 
rose  in  distinction.  Immediately  on  graduating  at 
Yale,  in  1796,  he  was  placed  in  a  tutorship  at 
Williams,  and  soon  after  transferred  to  the  same 
position  in  his  Alma  Mater,  and  so  successfully  and  sat- 
isfactorily did  he  acquit  himself  here,  that  he  was 
called  to  the  Professorship  of  Divinity.  Constrained  by 
impaired  health  at  the  time,  to  decline  the  invitation,  in 
1806  he  accepted  the  Professorship  of  Languages  in 
Union  College,  and  in  1809  he  took  the  Presidency  of 
Middlebury  College.  Chosen  in  1817,  simultaneously 
to  follow  Dr.  Dwight  at  Yale  and  Dr.  Backus  at  Ham- 
ilton, he  gave  preference  to  the  latter,  and  here  he  re- 
mained until  his  resignation  in  1833,  and  nineteen  years 
after,  in  1852,  he  closed  his  earthly  career  at  the  ad- 
vanced age  of  eighty -two.  A  full  man  and  pre- 
eminently disciplined  and  of  great  tenacity  and  force, 
President  Davis  was  hardly  versatile  enough  to  adapt 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW    YORK.  319 

himself  to  new  situations.  He  felt  no  friction  in  New 
England  communities  and  no  difficulties  in  New  Eng- 
land methods.  But  brought  into  Central  New  Yorkr 
with  society  broken,  and  stirring  in  its  formative  pro- 
cess, and  into  counsel  and  action  with  the  conceit  and 
vagaries  of  tyros  in  the  science  of  education,  he  could 
not  bend  and  must  break.  His  college  was  his  rack. 
There  were  quiet  and  pleasant  and  prosperous  intervals, 
but  wider  spaces  of  agitation  and  breakage.  At  one 
point  it  looked  like  a  wreck,  but  repair  followed,  and 
Dr.  Davis  handed  over  the  college  to  his  successors  in 
working  order  and  with  growing  number-. 

PRESIDENT   DWIGHT. 

Eev.  Dr.  Sereno  E.  Dwight,  son  of  President  Timo- 
thy Dwight,  commenced  active  life  at  the  bar  and  for 
several  years  practiced  successfully  there,  and  then, 
turning  his  back  on  distinction  and  wealth,  he  passed 
into  the  pulpit  and  remained  ten  years  at  Park  Street 
Church,  Boston.  From  1833  to  1835  he  held  the  Pres- 
idency of  Hamilton  College.  Its  financial  condition 
induced  him  to  address  himself  to  the  work  of  replen- 
ishing its  funds ;  and,  with  the  efficienl  aid  of  Profe 
Avery,  he  added  s  4<  i.ihhi  i  lien.  Divining  its  removal  to 
Utica  essential  to  its  prosperity,  he  labored  earnestly  to 
effect  the  change;  and  failing  in  it,  he  retired  from  the 

institution. 

PRESIDENT     PENNY. 

In  1835  Rev.  Dr.  Joseph   Pennj  was  called  to  the 
Presidency.     A  native  of    Ireland,   and   educated  al 


320  PRESBYTERIAN  ISM  IN  THE 

Trinity,  Dublin,  and  at  the  University  of  Glasgow, 
he  set  sail  for  this  country,  and  for  two  years  after 
landing,  taught  the  Academy  at  Flushing,  L.  I.  In 
1821,  he  took  charge  of  the  First  Church,  Rochester, 
and  in  1832,  he  relinquished  it  to  take  charge  of  the 
First  Church,  Northampton,  Mass.,  and  from  1835  to 
1839,  he  held  the  Presidency  of  Hamilton  College. 
Manifesting  ability  and  scholarship  in  it,  his  foreign 
birth  and  training  embarrassed  him  in  its  administra- 
tion, and  feeling  that  they  were  unsuited  to  each  other. 
he  left,  greatly  to  the  regret  of  the  trustees  however, 
and  against  their  earnest  entreaty. 

PRESIDENT    NORTH. 

Rev.  Dr.  Simeon  North,  previously  for  ten  years  of 
the  Department  of  Languages,  was  now  promoted  to  the 
presidency,  and  remained  in  it,  with  unaffected  modesty, 
but  more  than  golden  worth,  from  1839  to  1857.  Only 
nine  students  were  in  attendance  when  he  came  to  the 
College,  and  he  left  one  hundred  and  thirty-nine.  The 
treasury  was  low  when  he  took  the  Presidency,  and 
considerably  rilled  up  when  he  laid  it  down.  New 
buildings  were  erected  too,  and  new  Professorships 
established. 

PRESIDENT    FISHER 

Rev.  Dr.  Samuel  Ware  Fisher  then  came  to  the  of- 
fice and  continued  a  brilliant  incumbency  of  it,  espe- 
cially bringing  it  to  the  notice  of  the  public  and  com- 
mending it  to  the  church  and  applying  it  to  religion, 
until  1866,  when  he  returned  to  more  congenial  service 
in  the  pulpit  and  parish. 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  321 

PRESIDENT    BROWN. 

Rev.  Dr.  Samuel  Gillman  Brown,  son  of  the  distin- 
guished President  Brown,  of  Dartmouth,  and  himself 
for  many  years  a  professor  there,  was  inaugurated  into 
the  Presidency  in  1866,  and  now  tills  it  with  tine  scholar- 
ship and  cultured  taste. 

DECEASED  PROFESSORS. 

Prof.  Seth  Norton  was  the  Principal  of  the  Academy 
at  its  translation  into  a  college,  and  took  it  over  to  it, 
as  it  were,  by  filling  the  Chair  of  Languages,  and  he, 
with  Dr.  Josiah  Noyes,  of  the  Chair  of  Chemistry  and 
Mineralogy,  and  President  Backus,  formed  the  first 
Faculty.  These  Professors  were  as  able  in  their  depart- 
ments as  was  Dr.  Backus  in  the  Presidency.  The  star 
in  the  list  of  their  successors  stands  opposite  the  names 
of  Dr.  James  Hadley,  widely  known  as  a  lecuturer  in 
Medical  Colleges,  and  the  lather  of  the  late  Prof.  Had- 
ley, of  Yale,  John  Monteith.  Theodore  Strong,  after- 
wardsof  Rutgers  and  never  surpassed  in  the  Professor- 
ship of  Mathematics,  John  H.  Lathrop,  a  man  of  the 
highest  order  of  mind  and  subsequently  Chancellor  of 
the  Universities  <>f  Wisconsin  and  Missouri,  Bleazar 
Storra  Barrows,  William  Kirkland,  John  Wayland, 
Marcus  Oatlin,  ili<-  memory  of  whose  talents  and  learn- 

and  teaching  gifts  and  excellence  oi  character  and 
genuine  piety  has  never  dimmed,  John   Pinlev  Smith, 

oi  ill-'  second  pastor  of  Cooperstown,  whose  genius 

geniality  seem  to  have  l"'«'n  transhuman,  Samuel 

Darwin  Wilcox,  whose  bright  bud  went  down  while  it 

was  day,  and  lasl  and  jrel  first,  Etev,  Dr,  Eenry  Maude- 

villa 


322  PRESBYTERIAN  JSM  IN  THE 

KEY.   DR.    MANDEVILLE. 

In  my  college  days,  I  occasionally  listened  to  Dr. 
Mandeville,  then  pastor  of  the  Reformed.  Dutch  Church 
at  Geneva,  and  though  forty -five  years  ago,  my  recol- 
lection of  his  preaching  and  of  particular  sermons  by 
him,  is  far  more  vivid  and  fresh  than  that  of  any  of  our 
older  pulpit  orators.  There  was  vast  scope  and  eleva- 
tion and  richness  of  thought  in  him,  striking  imagery, 
strong  and  rhetorical  diction  and  a  manly  manner. 
Installed  at  Utiea  as  the  successor  of  the  eloquent 
George  Bethune,  there  was  no  drooping  in  the  interest 
felt  by  the  audience,  and  the  conviction  was  fixed  that 
if  there  was  a  loss  in  personal  agreeableness  and  mag- 
netism from  the  change,  there  was  an  intellectual  gain. 
Dr.  Mandeville  subsequently  took  charge  of  the  Fourth 
Presbyterian  Church,  Albany,  and  well  sustained  it  at 
the  point  to  which  it  was  raised  by  those  masters  of 
sacred  oratory,  Drs.  Edward  N.  Kirk  and  Samuel  W. 
Fisher.  His  last  pastorate  was  in  Mobile,  and  there  he 
completed  the  great  work  which  God  appointed  him  to 
do.  Dr.  Mandeville's  part  in  the  College  lay  in  the  field 
of  Moral  Philosophy  and  Rhetoric,  and  his  preeminence 
was  principally  won  and  his  principal  usefulness  achieved 
by  what  lie  accomplished  in  the  way  of  Elocution.  As 
in  most  institutions,  and  most  in  those  that  most  culti- 
vate scholarship,  there  had  previously  been  a  neglect 
of  this  indispensable  means  of  using  scholarship  in 
addresses  to  assemblies.  It  was  reservoired  in  lawyers 
and  clergymen,  but  had  no  fitting  outlets  to  courts  and 
juries  and  congregations.  He  constructed  a  system 
based  on  Walker's  principle,  that  the   formation  of  a 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK. 

sentence  should  determine  its  delivery,  and  published 
a  text  book  upon  it,  and  truly  marvellous  is  the  effect 
he  produced  and  that  successors  to  his  post  have  kept 
up. 

r 

CHARACTER  OF  THE  EDUCATION  GIVEN. 

The  system  of  education  in  the  College  has  marked 
characteristics.  Discipline  is  its  aim  intellectually.  It 
forms  the  mind  rather  than  informs  it.  It  trains  the 
faculties  rather  than  crams  and  load.-  them,  preparing 
them  for  vigorous  and  skillful  exercise  and  large  acqui- 
sitions, rather  than  storing  them  with  knowledge. 

But  the  idea  on  which  it  is  based  and  by  which  it  is 
directed,  produces  no  cast  iron  structure.  Elasticity 
enough  exists  for  all  desirable  modification  consistent 
with  its  dominant  principle.  Its  science  of  education 
admits  of  improvement  and  amplification  in  its  methods 
and  means  and  marked  change- in  its  curriculum.  New 
studies  and  new  kinds  of  instruction  have  been  intro- 
duced from  time  to  time,  and  new  department* 
The  character  of  its  scholarship  is  intimated  by  the  fact 
that  twelve  of  its  alumni  have  filled  College  1' 
denci  ity-two  have  idled  College  and  Theologi- 

cal Seminary  Professorships,  the  list  including  Buch 
in. mi  as  Edward  Robinson,  Asahel  ('lark  Kendrick, 
Theodore  William  Dwight  and  Augustus  Wm.  Smith, 
nine  Normal  School  Principals  and  Pj  a  Seer* 

of  the  Board  oi  Regents  and  practically  Superin- 
tendent of  the  Academies  and  Colleges  of  the  Stan-,  Sam- 
uelliuel  Woolworth.  Several  are  teachers  eminent  in  the 
philosophy  and  ait  of  education,  like  Benjamin  W 


324  PRESBYTERIANISM  IN  THE 

bridge  1) wight,  and  others  have  the  genius  for  science, 
like  John  Alsop  Paine  and  Isaac  Ilollister  Hall.  The 
examination  papers  published  in  the  annual  Catalogues 
and  the  reports  of  studies  every  year  to  the  Regents  of 
the  University  still  further  exhibit  the  description  and 
grade  of  its  scholarship. 

The  prominence  given  to  Rhetoric  and  Elocution, 
and  the  scheme  on  which  they  are  taught,  contribute 
to  the  characteristic  education  of  the  college.  This  is 
universally  recognized,  and  the  superiority  of  its  writers 
and  speakers  generally  conceded.  The  prizes  at  the 
last  two  inter-collegiate  contests,  the  only  ones  in  which 
they  appeared,  were  given  to  its  representatives  without 
hesitation  or  qualification. 

The  practical  character  of  its  education  is  very  notice- 
able. A  few  of  the  oldest  colleges  of  the  country  ad- 
vance some  of  their  students  to  a  higher  grade  of  schol- 
arship and  prepare  them  better  for  life  in  the  schools, — 
but  Hamilton  challenges  comparison  in  the  proportion 
of  alumni  who  have  attained  to  eminence  in  public  life. 
Its  catalogue  contains  the  names  of  five  Governors  of 
States,  among  them  Ashbel  Parsons  Willard,  of  Indiana, 
Joseph  Roswell  Hawley,  of  Connecticut,  and  Gilbert 
Carlton  Walker,  of  Virginia ;  twenty  members  of  Con- 
gress, among  them  Senators  David  Jewett  Baker  and 
Daniel  Darwin  Pratt,  and  Representatives  Hugh  White, 
Gerrit  Smith,  John  Gaston  Floyd,  Asher  Tyler,  Charles 
Baldwin  Sedgwick,  William  Johnson  Bacon,  Thomas 
Treadwell  Davis,  George  Washington  Ray,  Morgan 
Lewis  Martin,  George  Hastings,  Oliver  Andrew  Morse, 
John  Newton  Hungerford,  Horace  Chapin  Burcliard, 
Glenn  Wm.  Scofield,  Theodore  Medad  Pomeroy,  George 


SYHOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  325 

Washington  Cowles,  Samuel  Franklin  Miller:  fourteen 
State  Senators  and  eighteen  Supreme  Court  Judges, 
among  them  Philo  Gridley,  Joseph  Solace  Bosworth, 
George  William  Clinton,  Fletcher  Matthews  TIaight. 
John  Curtiss  [Jndervvood,  William  Johnson  Bacon, 
Charles  Seaton  Henry,  Anson  Stowe  Miller,  Milton 
Harvey  Merwin,  Samuel  Franklin  Miller,  James  Mills 
Wool  worth,  and  William  Wirt  Howe;  and  three  hundred 
and  forty-nine  lawyers,  among  them  Theodore  Sill  Gold, 
Thomas  Hunt  Flandrau,  Charles  Pinckney  Kirkland, 
Philip  Barton  Key.  Edmund  Wetmore,  Samuel  Dana 
Dakin,  Othniel  Samuel  Williams.  Roderick  Norwood 
Morrison  and  David  Phelps  Wood. 

Most  of  all.  and  best  of  all,  its  education  is  religious. 
It  could  hardly  be  otherwise.  Tin1  sainted  Kirkland  is 
its  presiding  genius.  The  Bible  is  a  text-book  in  it. 
and  as  regularly  taught  and  as  much  the  determination 
of  standing  as  Homer  or  Cicero  or  Hamilton  or 
Whatdy  or  Loomis.  The  President  must  be  a  minis- 
ter of  the  gospel  in  the  Presbyterian  Church,  and 
fellow-clergymen  and  fellow  Christians  fill  the  Profee 
sorships.  An  unusually  large  portion  of  the  students 
have  always  been  communicants  of  the  church,  and 
repeated  revivals  of  religion  have  occurred,  A  Pres- 
byterian Church  was  organized  in  it  in  1825;  but 
suspending  animation  when  the  institution  came  near 
extinction,  it  revived  in  1861,  the  pastor  of  the  col- 
lege being  ex  officio  pastor  of  the  church,  and  the 
elders,  six  in  number,  being  taken  one  from  each  Class 
and  two  from  the  Faculty.  N<>  wonder  that  ii  has 
educated  five,  hundred  and  eight}  one  Ministers  of  the 
Gospel  and  twenty  Foreign  Missionaries,  and  thai  two- 


320  PRESBYTERIAN JSM  IN  THE 

thirds   of  the   college   alumni  at  Auburn  Theological 
Seminary  have  been  students  at  Hamilton.     And  what 
grade  of  ministers  has  it  reared  ?     Albert  Barnes,  Joel 
Parker,   Charles  Hall,  whom  Dr.   Parker  describes  as 
4<  so  leading  his  class  that  no  member  of  it  aspired  to 
an    approach   to  him,'1  "alike  distinguished  in   every 
branch  of  learning  and  in  every  virtue — if  music,  or 
elocution,    or  philosophy,    or  language,   or  ait  in   its 
manifoldness  were  presented  in  any  of  their  forms,  he 
was  prepared  to  appreciate  and  practice  them,  and  his 
simple,  self-denying  piety  was  no  less  remarkable  than 
his  other  qualites,''  and  of  extraordinary  zeal  and  effi- 
ciency in   the   secretaryship   of  the   American   Home 
Missionary  Society ;  Harrison  Gray  Otis  Dwight,  almost 
as  well  known  as  the  Turkish  Empire,  which,  with  such 
wonderful  devotedness  and  skill,  he  sought  to  evangel- 
ize, and  his  companions   in   missionary  labor,  faithful 
Sheldon  Dibble  and  dear  John  Diel,  of  the  Sandwich 
Isles,  and  Edwin  Hall   Crane,  a  disciple  whom  Jesus 
loved  and  an  apostle  to  the  Nestorians,  John  Watson 
Adams,  "  with  a  voice  like  a  church  organ,  full  of  deep, 
rich  melody,  fine  reasoning  power,  a  splendid  imagina- 
tion, and  a  diction  of  extraordinary  and  simple  beavuVy," 
William  Bradford,   "  that-  great  little  man,"  the  unri- 
valled editor  of  his  day,  and  Henry  Steel  Clark,  repre- 
sent the  clerical  company  of  deceased  alumni,   while 
the  description  of  the  living  is  indicated  by  Henry  Ad- 
dison Nelson,  Henry  Kendal,  Francis  Field  Ellin  wood, 
Linns   Merrill   Miller,  James  Fcls,    Samuel    Thomas 
Hastings,  William  Eaton  Knox,  Conway  Phelps  Wing, 


SYXOD  OF  VENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  827 

WHO   HAVE    BEEN    ITS   TRUSTEES. 

The  Board  of  Trust  is  the  controlling  part  in  the 
organism  of  a  college,  and  that  of  Hamilton  College 
has  "been  much  more  largely  composed  than  is  usual, 
and  perhaps  to  an  unparalleled  extent,  of  members  of 
eminence  in  the  Chureh  and  in  the  State,  anions  them 
Henry  Huntington,  George  Brayton,  Morris  Scott  Miller. 
Nathan  Williams,  Joseph  Kirkland,  James  Carnahan. 
Thomas  Ruggles  Gold,  Jonas  Piatt,  Dirck  Cornelius 
Lansing,  Henry  Dwight,  Henry  Seymour,  Henry  An- 
thon,  Greene  Carrier  Bronson.  John  J.  Knox,  Andrew 
Yates,  Henry  Randolph  Storrs,  Joshua  Austin  Spencer. 
Grerrit  Smith,  Samuel  Beardsley,  Hiram  Denio,  Henry 
Allen  Foster,  Fortune  Clark  White,  Horatio  Seymour. 
Philo  Gridley,  William  Carpenter  Wisner  and  many 
« ithers.  The  most  eminent  of  them  have  been  the  most 
active  of  them.  Particularly  is  this  true  in  later  days 
of  Mr.  Spencer,  Judge  Denio,  Judge  Foster  and  Gov- 
ernor Seymour,  while  General  Knox  presided  oxer  the 
Board,  at  every  session,  for  twenty-nine  years. 

Till-:   TREASUBEBS  of   THE   COLLEGE. 

The  immediate  custody  and  management  of  the 
funds  of  a  college  arc  a  vital  function  of  its  system, 
and  this  has  been  performed  in  Hamilton  by  the  be 

treasure!--.    ErastUS<  'lark.  James  I  )ean.(  )thniel  William-. 

Benjamin  W.  Dwighl  make  a  truly  remarkable  roll. 
while  the  devotedness  to  the  college  <>f  Othniel  Samuel 
Williams,  his  toilsome  labor  for  it.  bis  skill  in  its 
finances,  his  pecuniar}  responsibility  on  it-  behalf,  ln- 
tested  accuracy  ami  integrity,  are  a  marvel  in  the  line 
of  official  service 


.'  1 2  8  PS  ESB  YTERIA  NISM  IN  TIIE\ 

A  fter  holding  his  office  for  nearly  a  quarter  of  a  cen- 
tury, the  trustees  yielded  to  Mr.  Williams'  request  for 
a  special  and  thorough  examination  of  his  accounts  from 
the  beginning,  and  the  following  is  the  result : 

To  the  Trustees  of  Hamilton  College  : 

Your  Committee  on  "Finance  beg  leave  to  report :  That  under 
authority  given  them  by  a  resolution  of  your  Board,  passed  at 
the  Annual  Meeting  in  July,  1872,  to  employ  an  expert  in  exam- 
ining the  books  and  accounts  of  the  Treasurer  for  the  period  of 
eight  years,  from  July  1,  1864,  at  which  time  an  examination, 
proof  and  report  thereon  had  been  made,  they  engaged  the  ser. 
vice  of  Mr.  Levin  us  Vanderheyden,  of  Troy,  both  because  of  his 
eminent  reputation  for  experience  and  skill  in  such  labors,  and 
because  of  his  special  acquaintance,  from  previous  examination 
of  the  Treasurer's  accounts,  with  the  work  to  be  performed. 

The  work  has  been  by  him  completed  to  the  entire  satisfaction 
of  your  committee,  and  his  report,  giving  tabular  statements  of 
receipts  and  expenditures,  is  not  confined  to  the  period  covered  by 
your  resolution,  but  embraces  the  entire  period  of  the  Treasurer- 
ship  of  Judge  Williams,  from  the  date  of  his  entering  upon  the 
duties  of  his  office  to  July  1,  1872. 

His  report  certifies  fully  to  the  correctness  of  the  accounts,  the 
books  and  the  balances  as  set  forth  therein.  A  copy  of  this 
report,  with  the  schedules  belonging  to  it,  are  hereto  annexed. 

As  may  be  remembered  by  your  Board,  the  examination  of  the 
Treasurer's  vouchers  for  disbursements  and  expenditures,  and  a 
comparison  with  the  charges  therefor  on  his  books,  was  several 
years  in  arrears. 

These  accumulations,  for  the  period  of  nine  years,  from  July  1, 
1803,  to  July  1,  1872,  embracing  not  only  the  ordinary  expendi- 
tures of  these  years,  but  all  the  expenditures  connected  with  the 
building  of  the  President's  house  and  the  Perry  Smith  Library 
Hall,  presented  a  work  so  formidable  as  to  convince  your  com- 
mittee that  with  their  varied  engagements  an  examination  of 
these  vouchers  in  committee  was  scarcely  practicable.  They, 
therefore,  entrusted  the  work  to  their  Chairman,  who  has  patient- 
ly, and  with  entire  particularity,  gone  through  with  them,  and 
does  now   report,  that  lie    finds  vouchers  properly  authenticated 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  .S^!» 

for  all  the  charges  appearing  on  the  books  of  the  Treasurer,  for 
the  nine  years  above  stated. 

The  Chairman  of  your  Committee  also  examined  all  the  bonds 
and  mortgages,  and  the  endorsements  thereon,  and  all  the  other 
securities  held  by  the  Treasurer,  on  such  first  day  of  July,  187*2, 
and  found  the  aggregate  amount  accurately  to  correspond  with 
the  balance  certified  by  Mr.  Vanderheyden,  as  being  called  for  by 
the  Treasurer's  books. 

It  is  proper  to  state  that  the  greater  part  of  the  balance  reported 
as  due  the  Treasurer,  is  made  up  of  loans  to  him  as  Treasurer, 
from  different  sources,  for  the  use  of  the  College. 

Your  committee  further  report,  that  they  have  this  day,  at  the 
office  of  the  Treasurer,  made  examination  of  the  vouchers  for  ex- 
penditures for  the  current  year,  and  compared  the  same  with  the 
charges  therefor  on  the  books  of  the  Treasurer,  and  find  them 
correct. 

Your  committee  further  report  that  they  have  this  day  made 
examination  of  the  securities  now  held  by  the  Treasurer,  and  find 

Bonds  and  Mortgages  on  Real  Estate,    .      .     $109,508  00 
Railroad  Stocks,  Railroad  Bonds  and   Indi- 
vidual Notes  and  Bonds,     ....     loo, '200  4*< 


Total, $204,714  48 

These  stocks,  bonds  and  notes  have  mainly  been  panned  over  t<> 
the   College  in  payment  of  subscriptions  to  its  funds,   and  are 
considered   perfectly  good   securities    for   the    amounts  they  rep 
:--s«-lit. 

Your  committee  further  report  that  the  books  show  ■  ba 
of  indebtedness  to  the  Treasurer  and  others,  amounting   to  the 
Mini  of  $79,668.03. 


Dated  June  21,  is" 


P,   v.  ROGJ  . 

WILLIAM    1).  WAl.ciH  r 
CHARLES  C  KINGSLE1    \  ' 


Two  tablets  are  placed  on  the  walla  of  the  Reformed 
Church,    [Jtica— one  on   either  side  of  the    | 
Thai  at  the  right,  as  yon  f;i<-«'  them,  is  a   memorial  of 


330  rRESBYTERIANlSU  IN  THE 

Rev.  George  Bethune,  D.  D.,  the  first  minister  of  the 
church.     The  other  bears  this  inscription  : 

"  In  Memory  of 

The 

Reverend  Henky  Mandeville,  D.  D., 

The  Second  Minister  of  this  Church. 

Born  in  Kinderhook,  N.  Y.,  March  4,  1804, 

Died  in  Mobile,  Ala.,  October  2,  1858. 

A  Learned  Divine, 

An  Instructive  Preacher,  Skillful  of  Speech, 

With  Strong  Natural  Powers 

And  Much  Fruit  of  Various  Reading. 

He  Adorned  the  Professor's  Chair, 

But  Most  Loved  the  Ministry  of  Jesus." 

THE   RAISING    OP   FUNDS. 

This  institution,  like  all  its  sisters,  began  being  with 
the  collection  of  funds.  It  passed  from  an  Academy 
into  a  College  by  the  same  agency,  conducted  by  the 
Rev.   Caleb   Alexander. *     And   here,   as  everywhere 

*  The  inevitable  concurrence  of  increased  expenditure  with  in- 
creased prosperity,  demanding  increased  endowment,  is  well  illus- 
trated in  the  experience  of  Harvard  University.  Its  number  of 
Students  has  trebled  in  the  last  thirty  and  doubled  in  the  last, 
twenty  years,  requiring  a  number  of  teachers  increased  from 
sixteen  to  fifty-eight,  and  demanding  salaries  increased  from 
$57,912.G7  per  annum  to  $118,124.42  per  annum,  while  the  whole 
yearly  expenditure  has  increased  from  $111,173.95  to  $260,140.10. 
And  this  is  the  law  of  all  enterprises.  The  expansion  of  busi- 
ness compels  an  enlargement  of  capital.  Investment  keeps  pace 
with  income.  Cost  becomes  the  token  and  gauge  of  thrift.  Un- 
ceasing contributions  are  the  necessity  and  condition  of  growing 
andthriving  Colleges. 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  331 

else,  inevitable  waste  and  development  have  demanded 
new  pecuniary  supplies.  Mention  lias  been  made  of 
Professor  Avery's  association  with  President Dwight in 
the  collection  of  $40,000.  This  veteran  manipulator  of 
chemical  simples  and  compounds  proved  such  an  adept 
in  the  laboratory  of  finance  that  he  was  urged  to  enter 
it  again  under  the  administration  of  President  North. 
His  experiments  succeeded  as  before.  $60,000  being 
raised,  but  unfortunately  the  once  popular  plan  of  neu- 
tralizing subscriptions  by  scholarships  was  adopted. 
A  drain  on  the  treasury  was  thus  formed,  which  but 
lately  ceased  to  draw  from  it. 

7  he  great  accumulation  of  funds  in  the  history  of  the 
college  has  occurred  under  the  commission ership  of 
Nicholas  Westerman  Goertner,  D.  1)..  Pastor  of  the 
College.  Commencing  the  work  in  1859,  the  treasury 
laden  with  debt,  its  credit  low,  its  buildings  out  of 
repair,  and  the  Professors  cramped  by  salaries  of  $1 .<  N  N I 
each,  and  prosecuting  it  since  with  proverbial  intenl 
and  persistence  and  skill,  the  ag  sum  of  $600,000 

has  been  realized  and  springs  have  been  extensively 
opened,  from  which  there  maybe  anticipated  perennial 
streams. 

This  large  contribution  is  not  wlmllv  due  t<>  Dr. 
1 1  rtner,  for  he  has  had  large  help,  and  all  of  it  is  not 
the  result  <>f  his  direct  and  manifest  labors,  but  it  has 
come  into  th«-  treasury  during  his  commissionership 
and  principally  through  his  agency.  The  monej  has 
been  applied  to  the  endowment  <»f  the  Presidency  and 
the  Walcott   Professorship  of  the  Evideno  Chris- 

tianity, tin-  Litchfield Observator)  and  Professorship  of 
Astronomy,  the  completion  «»f  the Maynard  and  K 


33  2  PRESD  YTER1A  N1SM  IN  THE 

Professorship  of  Law,  the  Benjamin  and  Bates'  Profes- 
sorship of  Latin,  the  Albert  Barnes  Professorship  of 
Mental  and  Moral  Philosophy,  the  Edward  Robinson 
Professorship  of  Greek,  the  Kingsley  Professorship  of 
Logic,  Rhetoric  and  Elocution,  Perpetual  Scholarship 
Prizes,  President's  House,  Library  and  Library  Fund, 
the  Renovation  of  South  College,  Knox  Hall  of  Natu- 
ral History,  Robinson  Library,  Alumni  Fund,  Century 
Testimonial  Fund,  Gerrit  Smith  Fund,  Noyes  Library. 
Saw  telle  Herbarium,  Ichthyosaurous,  repairing  of  Chapel 
and  Laboratory,  Philosophical  Apparatus,  the  Child 
Professorship  of  Agricultural  and  General  Chemistry. 
Child  Estate  Fund,  &c.,  &e. 

The  various  subscription  papers  throughout  the  his- 
tory of  the  College  contain  affecting  and  striking  read- 
ing. They  touchingly  and  forcefully  illustrate  an  ap- 
preciation of  learning  and  religion.  Many  a  mite  is  set 
down  which  was  "  all  the  living''  of  the  donor,  and  tells 
of  heroic  and  saintly  benevolence,  and  ever  and  anon 
are  the  almost  startling  figures  of  Christian  munificence. 
The  first  begins  with  the  handwriting  of  a  Missionary 
to  the  Indians,  and  that  pledges  enough  to  found  the 
College.  Inspired  with  Kirkland's  spirit,  and  copying 
his  example, are  such  names  as  William  Hale  Maynard, 
of  Utica,  Simon  Newton  Dexter,  of  Whitesboro,  Simeon 
Benjamin,  of  Elmira,  Mrs.  Bates,  of  Ithaca,  Edwin  Clark 
Litchfield,  of  Brooklyn,  Gerrit  Smith,  of  Peterboro, 
John  C.  Baldwin,  of  New  York,  Benjamin  S.  Walcott 
and  William  Dexter  Walcott,  of  New  York  Mills.  Charles 
Clark  Kingsley,  of  Utica,  Silas  D.  Childs  and  Mrs. 
Roxana  Childs,  of  Utica,  John  Newton  llungerford.  of 


SYXOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK, 


Corning,  Christopher  R.  Robert  and  Hon.  William  K. 
Dodge,  of  New  York.  Mr.-.  Sarah  E.  Baird,  of  Fayette- 
ville,  and  Samuel  H.  Jardin.  Esq.,  of  Philadelphia. 


THE    PRESENT    FACULTY   OF   THE   COLLEGE. 

The  present  Faculty  of  the  College  consists  of: 

Rev.  Samuel  Gillman  Brown,  D.  D.,  LL.,  D.,  President. 

Charles  Avery,  LL.  D.,  Professor  Emeritus  of  Chemistry. 

Rev.  Nicholas  Westermann  Goertner,  D.  D.,  College  Pastor. 

Oren  Root,  LL.  D.,   Professor  of  Mathematics,   Mineralogy    and 
Geology. 

Christian  Henry  Frederic   Peters,   Ph.    D.,    Litchfield    Professor 
of  Astronomy  and  Director  of  the  Litchfield  Observatory. 

Ellicott  Evans,    LL..  D.,    Maynird  and  Knox   Professor  of  Law 
History,  Civil  Polity  and  Political  Economy. 

Edward  North,  L.  H.  D.,  Edward-Robinson  Professor  of  the  Greek 
Language  and  Literature. 

Rev.  John  William  Mears,  D.  D.,  Albert  Barnes  Professor  of  In- 
tellectual and  Moral  Philosophy. 

Albert  Huntington  Chester,  A.  M.,  E.  M.,  Childs  Professor  of  Ag- 
ricultural Chemistry  and  Professor  of  General  Chemistry. 

liev.  Abel  Grosvenor  Hopkins,  A.  M.,  Benjamin  and  Bates  Profes 
sor  of  the  Latin  Language  and  Literature. 

Chester  Huntington,  A.  M.,  Professor  of  Natural  Philosophy  ami 
Librarian. 

Henry  Allen  Frink,  A.  M.,  Kingsley  Professor  of  Logic,  Rhetoric 
and  Elocution. 

Jermmin  Gilderoleere  Porter,  A.  M.,  Assistant  Professor  of  Ab 
tronoiny. 

LAW    SCHOOL. 

During    the    incumbency   <•!'    Hon.    Theodore    \\ . 
Dwight,the  Professorship  of  Law,  History,  Civil  Polity 

and  Political  Economy  was  extended  so  as  to  embrace 


384  PRESB  YTERIANISM  IN  THE 

a  department  for  professional  study  and  a  Law  School 
established.  It  proved  a  great  success — too  great,  per- 
haps, for  the  fame  of  the  Professor  reached  Columbia 
College  and, he  was  taken  away  to  that  venerable 
institution.  Ellicott  Evans,  Esq.,  succeeded  Judge 
D wight  and  brought  to  his  station  ability,  learning. 
culture,  a  love  for  teaching  and  a  natural  gift  for  it. 
Lecturers  chosen  from  among  eminent  judges  and  prac- 
titioners assist  him,  and  the  school  maintains  its  original 
course  and  character  of  instruction. 


THE    BOARD    OF    TRUSTEES 

Is  a  permanent  body,  with  the  exception  of  four  mem- 
bers,  Alumni  of  the  College,  and  chosen  by  their  fellow 
alumni,  whose  term  of  service  is  four  years.  It  con- 
sists at  present  of 

Samuel  B.  "Woolworth,  LL.  D.,  Albany,  President. 
Hon.  Henry  A.  Foster,  LL.  D  ,  Oswego. 
Rev.  Simeon  North,  D.  D.,  LL.  D.,  Clinton. 
Hon.  Horatio  Seymour,  LL.  D.,  L.  H.  D.,  Utica. 
Hon.  Othniel  S.  Williams,  LL.  D.,  Clinton. 
Rev.  Samuel  H.  Gridley,  D.  D  ,  Waterloo. 

*  Rev.  George  S.  Boardman,  D.  D.,  Cazenovia. 
Rev.  Philemon  H.  Fowler,  D.  D.,  Utica. 
Rev.  William  C.  Wisner,  Lockport. 

Hon.  William  J.  Bacon,  LL.  D.,  Utica. 
William  D.  Wralcott,  Esq.,  New  York  Mills. 

*  Rev.  A.  Delos  Gridley,  D.  D.,  Clinton. 

Rev.  Samuel  G.  Brown,  D.  D.,  LL.  D.,  Cliuton. 

Charles  C.  Kingsley,  A.  M.,  Utica. 

Rev.  L.  Merrill  Miller,  D,  D.,  Ogdensburgh. 

PubliusV.  Rogers,  A.  M.,  Utica. 

General  S.  Stewart  Ellsworth,  A.  M.,  Penn  Yau. 

Rev.  Henry  Kendall,  D.  D.,  New  York. 

Gilbert  Mollison,  Esq.,  Oswego. 

Hon.  John  N.  Hungerford,  A.  M.,  Corning. 

Hon.  Daniel  P.  Ward,  A.  M.,  Syracuse. 

<ieorge  M.  Diven.Esq.,  A.  M.,  Elmira. 

lion.  Theodore  W.  D wight,  LL.  D.,  New  York. 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  XEW  YORK, 


CHOSEN    BY    THE    ALUMNI. 

Hon.  Perry  H.  Smith,  A.  M.,  Chicago. 
Hon.  Joseph  R.  Hawley,  LL.  D.,  Hartford. 
David  H.   Cochran.  Ph.*  D..  LL.  D.,Brookhn. 
Rev.  William  E.  Knox,  D.D.,  Elmira. 

Hon.  Othniel  S.  Williams,  LL.  D  ,  is  Secretary  and  Treasurer. 

Rev.  X.  W.  Goertuer,  D.  D.,  is  Commissioner. 

Hon.  Othniel  8.  Williams,  LL.  D., 

Rev.  Philemon  H.  Fowler,  D.  D., 

Hon.  William  J.  Bacon.  LL.  D., 

William  D.  Walcott.  Esq.. 

*Rev.  A.  Delos  Gridley,  D.  D., 

Rev.  Samuel  G.  Brown,  D.  D.,  LL.  D., 

Publius  V.  Rogers,  A.  M.,  are  the  Executive  Committee. 

*  Deceased. 


Et  was  forty  years  after  .Mr.  Kirkland's  gift  for  the 
founding  of  the  College,  before  another  of  magnitude 
was  conferred  upon  it  by  a  single  individual.  Hon. 
William  Hale  Mayxakd,  of  Utica,  who  died  in  1832, 
provided  in  his  will  for  the  payment  to  it  of  $17,000, 
which,  by  the  accumulation  of  unspent  interest,  grew 
to  $18,300,  with  the  direction  that  this  sum  should  be 
applied  to  "the  endowment  of  a  Professorship  of  Law, 
I  listory, Civil  Polity  and  Political  Economy  as  connected 
with  Law,  and  necessary  to  qualify  young  gentlemen  to 
be  useful  in  the  republic."  Mr.  Maynard  was  born  in 
Massachusetts,  with  the  incentive  of  poverty  to  indus- 
try. He  early  took  charge  of  a  country  school,  and 
received  among  his  pupils  the  modern  apostle  to 
Greece,  Rev.  Dr.  Jonas  King.  Be  brought  this  voca- 
tion with  him  to  Oneida  county  in  L 810  or  1811,  care- 
rally  husbanding  nt  hours  for  hard  study.  De 
layed  thus  in  his  preparation  for  it.  he  did  not  come  to 


336  I'llKSB  YTEIilA MSM  IN  THE 

the  Bar  until  comparatively  late  in  life.  But  noth- 
ing was  thus  lost  in  his  rising  there,  for  by  long  and 
rapid  strides  he  attained  to  the  highest  rank,  and  as 
young  as  the  youngest  who  reached  it  with  him. 
Neither  graceful  gesture  nor  rhetorical  speech  was  the 
ladder  of  his  ascent,  but  solid  sense  and  unsparing  labor, 
his  almost  only  remarkable  gift  being  a  memory  that 
never  let  go  the  smallest  item  it  grasped,  and  held  all 
its  possessions  at  instant  delivery.  Elected  to  the 
State  Senate,  his  sterling  merit  served  him  better  than 
popular  address.  The  strength  and  resources  beneath 
his  plain  and  simple  exterior  made  him  a  controlling 
member  of  the  body  in  its  legislative  functions,  and 
still  more  as  "  the  Court  for  the  Correction  of  Errors. " 
His  sun  had  just  risen  in  the  political  horizon,  when 
that  fearfully  black  pall — the  cholera — was  thrown 
over  it. 


The  connection  of  the  men  is  stronger  than  the 
chronology  of  their  deeds,  and  mention  therefore  may 
here  be  made  of  Hon.  James  Knox,  who  had  sat  as  a 
disciple  at  Mr.  Maynard's  feet,  and  was  afterwards 
lifted  to  a  short  professional  association  with  him. 
Born  at  Canajoharie.  X.  Y.,  July  4,  1807,  a  brother  of 
General  John  J.  Knox,  a  student  of  Hamilton  College 
for  three  years  and  graduated  from  Yale,  Mr.  Knox 
entered  the  law  office  of  Hon.  Joshua  A.  Spencer  and 
William  II.  Maynard.  in  Utica,  and  on  his  admission  to 
the  Bar  was  received  into  partnership  by  these  gentle- 
men. ID  1880  he  removed  to  Illinois,  and  rapidly 
gained  a  large  and  lucrative  practice  there,  and  also 
engaged  in  agriculture  and  trade.     In  1847,  he  sat  in 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  TO  UK.  337 

the  State  Constitutional  Convention,  and  commencing 
in  1852,  he  spent  two  terms  in  Congress,  and  would 
probably  have  found  it  a  stepping-stone  for  promotion, 
when  a  serious  disease  of  the  eyes  long  exiled  him  from 
the  House,  and  also  from  the  country.  Restored  to  his 
home,  the  state  of  his  vision  excluded  him  still  from 
all  spheres  of  public  activity  :  but  neither  his  heart  nor 
his  mind  could  lie  in  repose.  He  commenced  to  d< 
liberal  things.  He  patronized  Knox  College  at  Gales- 
burg,  in  his  vicinity,  established  the  Sweede's  College, 
at  Knoxville,  his  home,  gave  $10,000  each  to  Yale  and 
Hamilton  Colleges,  and  a  second  $10,000  to  Hamilton, 
and  bequeathed  $10,000  to  St.  Mary's  Female  Seminary, 
Knoxville,  provided  an  equal  sum  was  raised  for  it  by 
its  friends,  and  §80,000  for  the  establishment  of  an 
Agricultural  College  at  or  near  Knoxville.  provided  an 
additional  contribution  to  it  of  the  same  amount  should 
be  obtained  within  six  months  after  his  death,  and  fail- 
ing this,  $40,000  each  is  to  be  paid  to  Hamilton  and 
Yah-  Colleges.  Mr.  Knox's  all'eetions  even  exceeded 
his  abilities.  Widowed  after  a  few  months  of  wedded 
life,  he  never  married  again.  At  the  time  of  his 
first    donation    to    Hamilton    College   he    distributed 

$90,000,   in  sums  ranging   from   $1,4 to   $10,000, 

to  nineteen  nephews  and  nieees.  and  he  remembered 
each  of  them  again,  mentioning  them  by  name,  in 
the  final  distribution  of  his  estate  He  both  admired 
and  loved  Hon.  Joshua  A.  Spencer,  his  professional 
teacher  and   partner,   in   conjunction   with  Mr.    Mav- 

nard,    and    left    a    legacy    of  $10,000,    to    that    gentle- 

man's  family,  and  presenting  portraits  of  himself  and 
Mir.  Spencer  to  the  Memorial  Hall  of  Hamilton  Col- 
o, 


338  PRESBTTEB1ANISM  IN  THE 

lege,  lie  asked  that  his  might  hang  between  Mr.  Spen- 
cer's and  Mr.  Maynard's.  He  added  $10,000  to  Mr. 
Maynard's  bequest  to  Hamilton  College,  his  motive 
being  to  connect  himself  with  Mr.  Maynard  in  his 
friend's  fond  project,  and  to  further  that  by  furnishing 
a  supplement  to  the  means  that  had  been  provided  for 
it  The  years  he  spent  in  Berlin,  under  the  care  of 
oculists,  inspired  him  with  tender  interest  in  Germany 
and  the  Germans,  and  he  formed  an  attachment  to  them 
only  second  to  that  he  felt  for  his  own  country  and 
countrymen.  And  such  was  his  devotion  to  his 
immediate  townsmen,  that  while  they  could  not  but 
yield  him  deference  as  to  a  lord  of  the  manor,  they 
were  filial  to  him  as  affectionate  children.  He  closed 
his  career  of  beneficence  and  kindness  October  9r 
1876. 

Hon.  Simon  Newton  Dexter  follows  Mr.  Maynard 
on  the  list  of  munificent  benefactors  of  the  college. 
Indeed  his  was  the  first  large  donation  to  it  as  distin- 
guished from  a  legacy,  after  Mr.  Kirkland's.  He  gave 
his  note  for  $15,000  to  endow  the  Department  of  Ancient 
Languages, — and  his  note  at  the  time  was  as  good  as 
money,  and  paid  the  interest  from  1830  to  1866.  But 
adverse  fortune  then  overtook  him,  and  in  spite  of 
sacrifices  and  struggles  to  meet  it,  his  executor  was 
compelled,  most  regretfully,  to  take  it  back  on  the 
payment  of  $2,000  of  the  principal.  His  actual  gifts, 
however,  aggregated  about  $23,000.  Mr.  Dexter  was 
a  native  of  Providence,  R,  L,  born  on  May  11,  1785, 
and  he  died  in  Whitesboro,  November  18,  1862.  His 
father,  Andrew    Dexter,  was  the  first  manufacturer  of 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  339 

cotton  goods  in  the  United  States,  and  his  grandfather, 
Samuel  Dexter,  of  Boston,  was  an  eminent  importing 
merchant  before  the  Revolutionary  War,  and  setting 
the  example  which  his  grandson  followed,  he  be- 
queathed to  Harvard  University  an  endowment  of  the 
Professorship  of  Biblical  Literature,  the  income  of 
which  has  contributed  to  the  support  of  its  incumbents 
down  to  this  day.  His  great  grandfather  of  the  class 
of  1720,  at  Harvard,  was  the  minister  of  the  Congre- 
gational Church  in  Maiden,  Mass.,  where  he  died  in 
1775 :  and  it  is  a  singular  fact  that  Mr.  Dexters  teacher 
at  Maiden  was  the  Rev.  Caleb  Alexander,  who  subse- 
quently took  so  important  a  part  in  converting  the 
Oneida  Academy  into  Hamilton  College  and  in  estab- 
lishing it  at  Clinton.  Mr.  Dexter  entered  Brown  Uni- 
versity: but.  before  graduating,  yielded  to  his  taste  for 
active  business  and  embarked  in  it  at  Boston.  In  1815. 
at  the  age  of  thirty,  he  fell  in  with  the  then  tide  of  em- 
igration, and  was  borne  to  Whitesboro,  and  there  he 
lived  for  forty-seven  years.  In  the  construction  of  the 
Erie  Canal  he  fulfilled  a  contract  for  the  section  which 

•dthrough  Syracuse,  but  more  fur  the  advantage 
of  the  State  than  of  himself.  In  1824,  he  began  work- 
on  the  Chesapeake  &  Delaware  Canal,  involving  an  ex- 
penditure of  over $2,000,000,  and  was  occupied  with  it 
for  live  years,  the  company  voting  him  their  thanks  at 

completion  for  the  skill  and  energy  he  displayed. 
Just  then  the  Oriskany  Manufacturing  Company,  with 
a  list  of  stockholder.-   comprising  Ambrose  Spei 
Jonas  Piatt,  Thomas  \i.  Gold,  Dewitt  Clinton,  Theodore 
Sill,  .N<-\vt<>ii  Mann.  William  <i.  Tracy,  Stephen  Va 
Rensselaer  and  Garret  <i.  Lansing,  was  brought  to  the 


340  PRESBYTERIANISU  IN  THE 

verge  of  bankruptcy,  and  induced  to  accept  its  agency. 
Mr.  Dexter  cast  off  the  debt  that  was  crushing  it,  erected 
new  buildings,  set  up  new  machinery  and  started  divi- 
dend-paying operations.  In  1832,  the  Dexter  Manu- 
facturing Company  began  work  a  mile  from  Oriskany, 
and  a  community  sprung  forth  that  for  thirty  years 
kept  off  the  blight  of  liquor  sales.  At  about  the  same 
time  Mr.  Dexter  held  large  manufacturing  interests  in 
other  places  in  Oneida  county,  and  in  Jefferson  county, 
and  at  Elgin,  111.  At  its  organization  in  1838,  he  ac- 
cepted the  Presidency  of  the  Bank  of  Whites  town,  and 
held  it  for  fifteen  years,  and  served  still  longer  in  the 
Directorship  of  the  Bank  of  Utica,  and  held  a  similar 
position  in  the  Farmers  &  Mechanics  Bank,  of  Detroit. 
In  18-10  he  was  appointed  Canal  Commissioner  and 
assigned  to  the  charge  of  the  Chenango  and  Black 
River  Canals  and  the  middle  division  of  the  Erie.  In 
1836  lie  formed  a  business  partnership  in  Chicago  and 
aided  the  growth  of  that  town  from  a  village  of  2,500 
inhabitants  to  a  city  of  more  than  300,000.  He  took 
stock  in  the  first  railway  built  in  Illinois — the  Galena 
&  Chicago — and  came  to  its  help  by  the  purchase  of 
bonds  when  eastern  capitalists  were  withdrawing  their 
funds  from  the  State.  This  multiplicity  of  affairs 
never  abated  his  buoyancy,  or  his  literary  and  esthetic 
and  social  and  domestic  enjoyments,  his  charity  or 
his  religion.  He  diligently  served  until  his  death  as  one 
of  the  Managers  of  the  State  Lunatic  Asylum  and  as  a 
Trustee  of  Hamilton  College  and  always  relished  his 
library  and  feasted  on  art  and  found  happiness  at 
home.  Intense  suffering  in  his  last  sickness  served  to 
reveal    his  Christian    resignation,  and  in  view  of  ap- 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  341 

proaching  death,  he  remained  mindful  of  dear  kindred 
and  friends,  and  trustful  in  the  Saviour. 

Such  were  my  relations  to  Simeon  BENJAMIN,  Esq., 
that  it  is  hard  to  tone  down  language  about  him  to  leas 
than  eulogium.  For  eleven  happy  years  we  lived  to- 
gether as  co-workers  and  confidante,  serving  the  same 
congregation,  one  as  Pastor  and  the  other  as  Ruling 
Elder,  and  during  all  that  space  and  all  that  association. 
I  never  saw  the  slightest  aberration  in  him  from  Chris- 
tian sincerity,  simplicity  and  devotedness,  while  hisbusi- 
operations  were  carried  on  at  the  same  time  on  a 
large  scale  and  with  singular  uprightness,  energy  and 
astuteness.  lie  was  a  Nathaniel,  but  could  drive  like 
a  Jehu.  The  third  son  in  a  family  of  six  sous  and  two 
daughters,  children  of  a  plain  but  substantial  and  highly 
respectable  and  earnestly  and  actively  Christian  farmer. 
he  was  born  at  Upper  Aquabogue,  town  of  Riverhead, 
L.  I,  May  29,  1792.  A  somewhat  feeble  constitution 
allowed  him  advantages  at  the  district  school,  which 
greater  strength  for  labor  in  the  fields  would  have  de- 
nied  him  and  also  a  final  release  from  t lie  farm  t 
cept  a  clerkship  in  his  native  town.  At  sixteen,  he 
went  into  the  store  of  Mr.  Hipp,  Broadway.  X.  V..  but 
two  years  after,  and  at  the  breaking  out  of  the  War 
of  1812,  he  set  up  business  lor  himself  at  his  old 
bomestead  The  location  was  well  chosen  and  became 
the  centre  of  trade  for  a  wide  district,  while  the  war 
favored  the  young  merchant's  busin  -  i  Capital  enough 
was  earned  in  a  few  years  for  a  wholesale  dry  poods 

house  in   New  York  City,  and    tin*    same  traits    which 

brought  Mr.  Benjamin  thrift  in  rural  traffic  endowed 


3  4  2  PRE  SB  TTElilANISM  IN  THE 

him  with  wealth  in  metropolitan  merchandise.  His 
store  educated  others  too,  while  it  enriched  himself, 
and  several  who  became  eminent  in  the  trade  of  the 
city  took  their  first  lessons  and  got  their  training  there. 
The  state  of  his  lungs  induced  him  to  remove  into 
the  interior,  and  he  chose  Elmira  for  his  home.  There 
he  employed  his  capital  in  real  estate  and  banking,  and 
probably  did  more  than  any  other  one  citizen  towards 
changing  the  place  from  the  village  it  was  to  the  busy 
and  prosperous  city  it  now  is.  Public  enterprises  of 
every  description  cordially  enlisted  him  and  went  for- 
ward under  his  leadership.  Churches,  schools  and 
hotels  were  built  largely  by  his  means,  and  not  only 
was  he  President  of  the  railway  from  Elmira  to  the 
head  of  Seneca  Lake,  but  its  principal  builder  and  real 
manager. 

Mr.  Benjamin  married  Sarah  Wickham  Goldsmith, 
born  at  Mattituck,  L.  I.,  and  sister  of  Rev.  Dr.  John 
Goldsmith,  for  thirty-eight  years  pastor  of  the  Presby- 
terian Church  at  Newtown,  L.  I.  The  fruit  of  it  was 
three  sons  and  four  daughters.  All  but  one  son  and 
one  daughter  died  in  childhood,  and  the  surviving  son 
William,  a  youth  of  uncommon  loveliness,  departed  this 
life  immediately  after  finishing  his  course  at  Williams' 
College  The  remaining  daughter  is  the  wife  of  Hon. 
John  T.  Rathbun,  Elmira. 

Mr.  Benjamin  first  indulged  hope  at  fourteen  years 
of  age  and  joined  the  church  at  his  family  home.  Sub- 
sequently he  joined  his  brother-in-law's  church  at  New- 
town, and  then  removed  to  Brooklyn  and  united  with 
the  First  Presbyterian  Church,  under  the  care,  first  of 
Rev.  Mr.  Sanford,  and  afterwards  of  Rev.  Dr.  Carroll, 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  343 

and  was  soon  called  to  the  Session.  In  1836,  the  next 
year  after  his  removal  to  Elmira,  he  was  elected  a  Trus- 
tee of  the  Society,  and  every  year  after  until  his  death. 
In  1836  he  became  an  elder  of  the  church,  and  held  the 
office  while  he  lived.  His  business  was  enough  to  en- 
gross him,  but  he  kept  it  subordinate  to  his  religion. 
The  Bible  lay  near  at  hand  in  his  office.  He  regularly 
entered  his  closet,  and  habitually  kept  up  the  family 
altar.  A  church  service  or  duty  took  precedence  with 
him  of  eveiy  other  engagement,  and  he  was  as  constantly 
at  social  meetings  as  they  occurred.  Always  present 
with  the  Session,  he  delighted  to  visit  as  an  elder  from 
house  to  house,  and  deemed  it  a  privilege  and  pleasure 
to  attend  ecclesiastical  bodies.  Improvements  in  the 
parish  were  cpiite  likely  to  be  his  suggestion,  and  while 
he  pressed  them  on  others,  he  liberally  contributed  to 
them  himself.  The  kingdom  of  God  at  large  was  act- 
i  very  and  generously  promoted  by  him.  He  was  a  cor]  ><  >- 
rate  member  of  the  American  Board,  and  a  Trustee  of 
Hamilton  College  and  Auburn  Theological  Seminary. 
Ee  gave  Bamilton  College  $10,000  towards  the  endow- 
ment of  the  chairof  the  Latin  Language  and  Literature, 
and  left  n  a  legacy  of  $10,000.  Ee  also  devised  $10,- 
000  to  Auburn  Theological  Seminary,  $30,000  to  the 
Presbyterian  Board  of  Publication,  $2,000  to  the  Elmi- 
ra Orphan  Asylum,  and to  be  divided  between 

the  American  Board  of  Commissioners  for  Foreign  M  - 
siona  and  the  American  Tracl  Society.     The  public 
ject  which  most   engaged   aim  \\a>  the  Elmira  Female 
College     Bis  donation  oi   $6,000  fixed   Its  site,  and 
w  hen  its  buildings  were  erected  and  it  >pened,  a 

debt  of  $40,000  bad  been  incurred,  more  than  half  of 


344  PRESBYTERIANISM  IN  THE 

which  was  owed  to  Mr.  Benjamin,  and  much  of  the  re- 
mainder to  personal  friends  in  New  York  and  Long 
Island.  Mr.  Benjamin  subsequently  gave  $25,000  of 
this  debt  to  the  College,  on  condition  that  it  should  be 
placed  under  the  supervision  of  the  Synod  of  Geneva. 
To  this  he  afterwards  added  $25,000,  making  a  total  of 
$55,000,  and  in  his  "Will  he  provided  for  the  payment 
of  $80,000  more. 

The  death  of  Mrs.  Benjamin  and  of  their  son  Wil- 
liam, were  afflictions  from  which  he  could  not  recover, 
and  gradually  he  fell  beneath  their  blows.  Death  was 
his  relief  and  release.  He  calmly  watched  its  approach. 
Not  the  slightest  fear  disturbed  him.  No  doubt  trou- 
bled him.  He  talked  of  his  decease  as  he  talked  of 
everything  else,  and  in  1868,  like  an  undimmed  star,  he 
rose  out  of  sight, 

Mrs.  Sarah  Bates,  whose  donation  of  $5,000  was 
added  to  Mr.  Benjamin's  20,000  to  complete  the  endow- 
ment of  the  department  of  the  Latin  Language  and  Lit- 
erature, is  still  spared  at  her  home  in  Ithaca,  N.  Y.,  to 
practice  her  Christian  beneficence  and  set  her  goodly 
example. 

Silas  L>.  Childs  was  born  at  Conway,  Mass.,  1793. 
Completing  a  New  England  common  school  education, 
he  entered  upon  a  clerkship  in  his  native  town,  but  left 
for  Utica  in  1816.  Here  he  first  took  a  place  in  the 
dry  goods  store  of  Mr.  Stalham  Williams,  and  then 
went  as  book-keeper  to  the  office  of  Jason  Parker, 
widely  known  as  the  proprietor  of  extensive  stage  lines. 
Marrying  Hannah,  the   daughter  of  his  employer,  he 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  345 

was  admitted,  together  with  Hon.  Theodore  S.  Fax  ton, 
to  a  partnership  with  him  in  1820,  his  business  associa- 
tion with  Mr.  Faxton  lasting  for  forty  years,  and  their 
stage  business  until  1836.  Alive  to  the  public  wel- 
fare, he  attended  to  the  public  interests  in  such  stations 
as  Bank,  and  Factory  and  Eailway  Directorships,  and 
as  a  Trustee  of  the  Female  Academy  and  the  Orphan 
Asylum  and  the  Cemetery  Association.  Upright,  faith- 
ful, honorable,  kind  and  sympathizing,  he  was  always  the 
modest  and  quiet  and  dignified  gentleman,  never  suffer- 
ing taint  or  the  suspicion  of  it.  Dropping  instantly 
dead  in  a  banking  room,  the  whole  community  felt  the 
shock  and  shared  the  bereavement  and  grief.  The 
opening  of  his  Will  disclosed  the  benevolence  of  his 
thoughts.  Among  the  liberal  legacies  was  that  of 
$30,000  for  the  Chair  in  Hamilton  College  which  bears 
his  name. 

Mrs.  Childs  breathed  her  husband's  spirit,  and  by  the 
addition  of  $60,000  to  his  gift,  greatly  enlarged  his  pro- 
ject, and  added  to  the  facilities  of  Hamilton  College  for. 
imparting  both  a  scholarly  and  practical  education ; 
and  not  forgetting  other  objects,  she  erected  at  her  own 
expense,  as  convenient  and  beautiful  a  Chapel  for  the 
Utica  Cemetery  as  accommodates  and  adorns  any 
similar  place  in  the  land. 

Charles  Clark  Kixgsley,  Esq.,  was  born  at  Utica. 
February  11th,  1830,  and  passing  through  the  Public 
Schools  and  the  Academy  of  his  native  city,  entered 
Hamilton  College  in  1849  and  graduated  in  1852.  The 
extensive  business  of  his  father  had  become  burthen- 
some  to  him,  and  the  son  went  filially  to  his  relief. 


346  PRESB  YTERIANISM  IN  THE 

Their  main  establishment  at  Utica  had  dependencies  and 
adjuncts  at  Rome,  Auburn,  and  New  Haven,  Ct.,  and 
the  junior  partner  quickened  all.  The  death  of  his 
father  in  1869,  brought  the  care  of  the  family  estate  and 
the  entire  charge  and  management  of  the  manufacturing 
and  commercial  business  on  Mr.  Kingsley.  The  secu- 
lar affairs  pressing  upon  him  did  not  engross  him,  how- 
ever, nor  divert  him  from  the  cause  of  education  and 
religion.  Uniting  with  the  First  Presbyterian  Church, 
Utica,  in  1854,  he  commenced  a  course  of  large  dona- 
tions to  the  enterprises  of  Christian  benevolence,  and 
recognizing  learning  as  the  handmaid  of  religion,  and 
appreciating  his  indebtedness  to  his  Alma  Mater,  and 
expressing  his  affection  for  her,  by  a  subscription  of 
$6,000,  he  completed  the  endowment  of  (what  was  the 
Utica,  but  is  now)  the  Kingsley  Professorship  of  Logic, 
Rhetoric  and  Elocution,  and  by  gifts  of  $2,200  in  the 
gross,  for  Prize  Funds  and  other  purposes.  Mr.  Kings- 
ley  is  a  Trustee  of  the  College  and  a  member  of  the 
Executive  Committee  of  the  Utica  "Home  for  the 
Homeless." 

The  following  letter  from  President  Fisher  to  the 
New  York  Evangelist,  contains  no  more  than  a  just  no- 
tice  of  Benjamin  Stuakt  Walcott: 

Hamilton  College, 
Clinton,  Oneida  Co.,  N.  Y.,  Jan.  16,  1862. 
The  funeral  solemnities  of  one  of  our  best  and  noblest  citizens 
called  me  to-day  to  New  York  Mills.  This  flourishing  manufac- 
turing town  stretches  along  the  Sauquoit,  for  a  mile  or  more,  to  a 
point  about  half  a  mile  from  its  confluence  with  the  Mohawk. 
The  town  itself  is  worth  a  visit.  Three  groups  of  factories  situ- 
ated respectively  in  the  southern,  central,  and  northern  sections 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  847 

of  the  town,  give  employment  and  maintenance  to  the  entire  pop- 
ulation. The  neat  cottages,  interspersed  with  now  and  then  a 
stately  mansion;  the  mingled  air  of  quiet  and  enterprise;  the  ad- 
mirably arranged  school  houses  and  commodious  churches;  the 
absence  of  all  signs  of  immorality  and  decay;  the  shade-trees  and 
shrubbery  along  the  main  street  and  around  the  dwellings  of 
many  of  the  inhabitants, — all  betoken  the  influence  of  religion, 
enterprise,  and  culture.  These  factories  combine  the  perfection 
of  machinery  with  consummate  skill  and  honesty  in  their  man- 
agement. Their  products  are  known  all  over  the  Union;  and  the 
imprint  of  "New  York  Mills"  is  a  guarantee  of  unrivaled  excel- 
lence, which  your  female  readers  will  at  once  recognize,  although 
they  know  not  the  place  on  the  map  where  they  were  manufac- 
tured. 

I  have  been  thus  particular  in  describing  this  town  because  it 
is  intimately  associated  with  the  life  of  a  good  man,  of  whom  the 
readers  of  The  Evangelist  ought  not  to  be  ignorant.  The  origina- 
tor and  builder  of  these  factories— the  man  by  whose  talent  and 
industry  they  were  for  many  years  managed — the  father  of  this 
whole  society — we  have  this  afternoon  laid,  as  to  his  mortal  part, 
in  the  grave.  An  immense  concourse  of  people  from  this  town, 
with  many  from  the  neighboring  borough  of  Whitestown  and  the 
city  of  Utica,  honored  the  burial  of  Benjamin  S.  Walcott,  From 
the  admirable  sermon  preached  on  this  occasion  by  his  pastor, 
Rev.  Chester  Fitch,  I  wish  to  condense  a  few  of  the  most  inter- 
esting facts  illustrative  of  his  life.  Born  in  Cumberland,  R.  I., 
Sept.  29th,  178G,  he  received  from  his  parents  a  fair  common 
school  education,  industrious  habits,  and  a  thorough  training  in 
the  doctrines  and  precepts  of  evangelical  religion.  These,  com- 
bined with  a  naturally  vigorous  intellect,  laid  the  foundation  of 
his  future  success.  He  commenced  the  business  of  manufacturing, 
in  this  State,  in  1809.  At  that  time  it  was  very  problematical 
whether  it  was  possible  for  this  country  to  compete  successfully 
with  Great  Britain  in  this  department.  Many  who  embarked  in 
it  utterly  failed.  But  Mr.  Walcott,  with  singular  foresight,  an- 
ticipated the  progress  of  the  nation  in  this  direction,  and  Bel  him- 
self, with  rare  sagacity  and  practical  judgment  to  assist  in  pro- 
ducing it.  Ho  not  only  Imported  the  latest  improvements  in 
machinery  from  Great  Britain,  but  improved  upon  those  Improve- 
ments.   In  connection  with  .Mr.  Benjamin  Marshal],  of  Troy,  he 


848  PRESBYTERIANISM  IN  THE 

commenced  the  erection  of  the  New  York  Mills,  in  1825.  From 
that  time  his  progress  was  steady;  factory  was  added  to  factory, 
house  after  house  was  erected,  until  the  village  assumed  its  pres- 
ent proportions.  His  goods  were  everywhere  sought  after,  because 
they  were  the  best  of  their  kind.  One  of  the  secrets  of  this  suc- 
cess consisted  in  the  fact  that  he  never  would  employ  an  immoral 
person  to  do  his  work.  Adhering  rigidly  to  this  rule,  with  honest 
workmen  he  was  sure  of  an  honest  product.  He  declared  that  in 
his  life  he  had  fully  tested  the  soundness  of  the  maxim,  "Honesty 
is  always  the  best  policy."  Not  only  was  his  name  the  synonym 
of  honesty,  but  his  work  always  illustrated  it.  He  early  entered 
into  the  spirit  of  the  Temperance  reform,  and  the  entire  society  of 
the  town  he  built  up  attests  the  extent  of  his  influence  in  this 
direction.  No  drunkard  is  ever  seen  reeling  through  its  streets; 
this  curse  is  unknown  there.  Another  principle  on  which  he 
acted  was  the  recognition  of  the  claims  of  those  he  employed  to 
be  considered  and  treated  as  something  more  in  their  relations  to 
him  than  merely  operatives,  doing  so  much  work,  receiving  so 
much  pay.  He  treated  them  as  friends;  the  younger,  especially 
as  his  children.  He  encouraged  merit  wherever  he  saw  it;  and 
hundreds  of  young  men  attribute  their  success  in  life  to  his  fath- 
erly counsel  and  material  aid.  He  was  the  first  manufacturer  in 
this  country  who  reduced  the  working  hours  of  the  day  from  fif- 
teen to  twelve.  He  was  the  first  who  introduced  the  custom  of 
cash  payment,  thus  allowing  those  he  employed  to  purchase  their 
supplies  where  they  could  do  it  cheapest  and  best.  In  these  and 
other  ways  he  consulted  the  best  interests  of  those  he  had  gath- 
ered around  him,  and  won  their  sympathy. 

Up  to  the  age  of  forty  he  was  a  strictly  moral  and  honest  man. 
Then  therocamea  change;  he  entered  upon  a  new  life.  Through 
agonizing  conviction  of  his  utter  sinfulness,  he  was  brought  at 
length  into  the  light  of  a  Christian  hope.  The  Divine  Spirit  con- 
secrated him  to  a  new  and  higher  work.  From  this  period,  for 
thirty-six  years, his  life  has  been  that  of  the  just,  shining  brighter 
until  it  passed  into  the  perfect  day.  Now  he  prosecuted  his  work 
as  a  Christian,  to  whom  talents,  time,  and  wealth  were  but  pos- 
sessions entrusted  to  him  for  the  good  of  others.  Early  elected 
an  elder  in  the  Presbyterian  Church,  he  contributed  largely  to  its 
real  progress  and  prosperity.  Although,  from  his  natural  diffi- 
dence and  his  conversion  in  middle  life,  he  never  attained  facility 


SYNOD  OF  VEX  TEAL  NEW  YORK. 

in  speaking  or  in  public  prayer,  yet  his  warm  sympathy  with  the 
pastor  and  members  of  the  church,  his  prompt  attendance  upon 
religious  exercises,  his  deep  interest  in  the  young,  and  his  clear 
judgment,  gave  him  great  influence  both  as  a  member  and  office- 
bearer. No  one  was  oftener  called  upon  to  act  the  part  of  a  peace- 
maker, and  his  decision  in  any  case  was  accepted  as  conclusive. 
Unostentatious  in  manners,  and  having  a  very  low  estimate  of 
himself,  he  shunned  praise  as  earnestly  as  most  men  seek  for  ir. 
A  man  of  fewivords,  he  formed  his  opinions  and  plans  with  great 
deliberation;  but,  when  once  formed,  he  held  them  with  great 
tenacity,  and  executed  them  with  marked  energy.  In  his  inter- 
course with  others  he  manifested  that  which  constitutes  the  high- 
est style  of  a  truly  Christian  gentleman,  a  delicate  attention  to 
their  wishes  and  feelings.  In  respect  to  property,  he  felt  himself 
to  be  God's  steward.  His  benefactions  flowed  in  a  steady  stream, 
and  embraced  a  wide  circle  of  objects.  With  a  spirit  eminently 
catholic  and  unsectarian,  he  assisted,  with  a  liberal  hand,  institu- 
tions and  objects  outside  the  pale  of  his  own  church.  He  recog- 
nized the  spirit  of  Christ  in  all  evangelical  denominations,  and 
many  who  did  not  worship  with  him,  now  rise  op  and  call  him 
blessed.  He  sought  out  the  poor  and  the  distressed,  and  in  a 
manner  most  congenial  to  their  feelings  relieved  and  comforted 
them.  This  was  his  habit  even  to  the  close  of  life.  But  in  addi- 
tion to  these  of  the  unknown  deeds  of  daily  beneficence,  he  con- 
tributed generously  to  public  institutions.  One  of  the<e  donations 
especially  demands  a  recognition  here.  Although  not  enjoying 
in  early  life  the  advantages  of  a  liberal  education,  yet  he  appre- 
ciated highly  these  advantages,  and  desired,  above  all  thin 
Bee  them  consecrated  by  the  spirit  of  Christianity.  Prompted  by 
these  feelings,  he  founded  the  Professorship  of  the  Evident  • 
Christianity  in  this  institution— giving  $15,000  of  thi 
requisite  for  this  purpose. 

Mr.  Walcott,  po<<essing  this  spirit,  could  not  be  anything  less 
than  a  true  patriot — a  noble  citizen  of  our  noble  country.  In  this 
hour  of  her  trial  he  gave  hifl  thousands  to  aid  her  in  this  great 
struggle  with  rebellion.  He  did  it  early,  promptly,  and  without 
solicitation,  counting  property  and  lift-  it-. -it  a-  nothing  in  com- 
parison with  the  great  interests  at  stake. 

U«-  had  f.»r  many  yean  risit  the  Holy  Land.  an. i  some 

ears  ago  this  desire  vrai  gratified.     In  company  with  P 
l'., 


:  ;50  mESB  yt  em  an  ism  in  the 

[Jpham,  of  Bowdoin  College,  and  Rev.  Dr.  J.  P.  Thompson,  of 
your  city,  he  visited  Egypt  and  Palestine.  The  journey  was  one 
long  scene  of  delight;  his  letters  home  were  full  of  the  enthusi- 
asm of  a  young  traveler.  Age  had  not  disabled  him  from  feeling 
the  thrill  of  pleasure  which  the  objects  and  scenes  of  that  land 
are  adapted  to  inspire.  Before  an  audience  of  more  than  a  thou- 
sand persons,  spontaneously  gathered  to  welcome  him  home  after 
his  distant  journey,  he  thus  refers  to  the  feelings  those  scenes 
awakened:  "The  cities  and  countries  in  which  our  Sa'viour  sojourn- 
ed during  his  abode  on  earth,  have  been  among  our  prolonged 
travels.  Our  feet  have  trod  upon  the  beautiful  Mount  of  Olives, 
at  the  foot  of  which  stands  the  garden  of  Gethsemane,  where  we 
gathered  flowers,  and  looked  upon  the  ancient  olive  trees,  said 
to  be  the  silent  witnesses  of  our  Saviour's  passion.  Within  and 
without  the  walls  of  Jerusalem  have  we  many  times  wandered, 
and  oftentimes  have  we  ascended  and  enjoyed  sweet  meditations 
on  the  beautiful  Mount  Zion.  Mount  Sinai  has  also  been  among 
the  objects  which  we  have  looked  upon  and  trod  over  with  deep 
emotions  of  sacred  interest,  neve?',  never  to  be  forgotten."  To  his 
pastor,  shortly  before  his  death,  he  expressed  the  wish  that  every 
candidate  for  the  ministry  should  visit  those  scenes  before  ho 
began  to  preach  the  Gospel. 

About  five  years  ago  Mr.  Walcott  retired  from  active  business, 
his  son,  William  D.  Walcott,  and  Samuel  Campbell,  Esq.,  who 
had  for  some  years  been  associated  with  him,  assuming  the 
entire  proprietorship  of  this  immense  establishment;  and  it  is  but 
justice  to  add  that  these  gentlemen,  possessed  of  large  views  and 
admirable  qualifications  for  their  position,  have  carried  it  on  in. 
the  same  noble  spirit  of  its  founder. 

Since  his  retirement  Mr.  Walcott  has  enjoyed  that  repose  which 
a  long  life  of  active  usefulness  so  richly  deserved.  In  the  bosom 
of  an  affectionate  family,  revered  and  beloved  by  a  wide  circle  of 
friends,  he  has  gone  down  quietly  to  the  grave.  He  had  been 
called,  at  different  periods  of  his  life  to  pass  through  the  valley 
of  affliction;  but  his  character  had  only  grown  brighter  and  more 
placid  under  the  trial.  Most  of  his  eight  children  have  settled  in 
life.  One  son,  his  associate  in  business,  died  not  long  ago.  In 
that  circle  his  sweet,  Christian  spirit  made  him  alike  the  joy  and 
pride  of  children  and  grandchildren.  During  the  last  two  years 
he  was  a  great  sufferer.     Disease  was  gradually  sapping  that  hale 


8TN0D  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  351 

constitution,  and  slowly  preparing  kini  for  the  advent  of  death. 
But  in  the  midst  of  suffering  he  was  calm,  patient,  wholly  resigned 
to  the  Father's  will.  Doubts  of  his  acceptance  would,  at  times, 
cloud  the  sky.  He  felt  himself  to  be  so  sinful,  his  life  to  have 
been  so  unworthy,  that  he  could  find  little  evidence  there  on  which 
to  ground  his  hope.  But  these  were  transient  seasons.  As  death 
drew  near,  all  doubt  vanished.  Calling  his  beloved  wife,  children 
and  friends  around  his  bedside,  he  gave  to  his  pastor,  in  a  voice 
faint  through  extreme  weakness,  as  his  parting  message  of  love 
and  consolation,  these  words:  "I  hope  for  grace  that  I  may  hate 
patience  to  wait.  I  can  cast  my  burden  on  the  Lord:  I  can  trust 
in  him;  1  have  no  fear  of  death/'  And  so  the  good  man  died; 
like  a  shock  of  corn  fully  ripe,  he  is  gathered  into  the  heavenly 
garner.  We  laid  his  body  away  in  those  beautiful  grounds 
which  his  taste  had  laid  out  and  adorned  as  the  xocpnjTqptov — the 
sleeping  place  of  his  people.  There  let  his  dust  repose  in  hope, 
till  the  morn  of  resurrection  shall  burst  upon  the  world. 

S.  W.  F. 

To  President  Fisher's  letter  may  be  appended  the 
following  extract  from  a  small  volume  on,  "  Employers 
and  the  Employe 

New  York  Mills  presents  an  example  of  what  may  be  accom- 
plished for  operatives  by  private  manufacturers.  The  late  Mr. 
Benjamin  S.  Walcott  commenced  his  career  there  forty  years  ago. 
His  deep  interest  in  the  operatives  was  his  great  qualification  for 
usefulness  among  them,  as  it  was  his  inspiration.  lb-  was  with 
them  in  his  feelings  as  well  as  for  them  in  his  work.  And  thus  in 
their  fellowship,  and  not  merely  in  their  service,  he  labored  as 
tmongthem.  His  acts  were  rather  those  of  a  kind  associate 
than  of  a  generous  benefactor.     And  the] 

tided  to  it.     Besides  their  gratitude,  they  juvr  him  their  af- 
ufldenee.     They    loTed   him  as   a    man,  and    freely 
entrusted  their  troubles  and  griefs  to  him  an 

relief  from  him.      Perceiving,  with  the  philosopher,  that  religion 
is  the  forerunner  of  civilization,  and  appreciating,  with  the  * 
tian,  its   legitimate   •  Introdnee 

I  roeani  ol  >>-ral  to  the  ehorche 


352  PRESDYTERIANISM  IN  THE 

generous  to  their  pastors  and  zealous  in  cooperating  with  them. 
In  times  of  revival,  he  stopped  the  machinery  of  the  mills  for 
brief  seasons  of  exhortation  and  prayer.  Schools  were  supplied 
with  able  teachers  and  books,  and  magazines  and  newspapers  cir- 
culated. Pleasant  homes  were  built  and  kept  in  perfect  repair. 
Some  of  the  necessaries  of  life  were  habitually  purchased  at 
wholesale  and  at  the  lowest  prices,  and  sold  at  cost,  and  a  part  of 
the  charge  for  board  was  paid.  The  sick  and  afflicted  were  visited 
and  comforted  and  the  poor  relieved,  and  on  stated  occasions 
presents  were  distributed;  and  on  Thanksgiving  days  every  table 
was  supplied  with  a  turkey.  Savings  of  wages  were  encouraged, 
and  though  after  an  experiment  of  it,  their  custody  was  de- 
clined, deposits  in  banks  and  safe  and  lucrative  investments  were 
secured. 

Mr.  William  D,  Walcott  was  long  the  confidential  counselor 
and  active  associate  of  his  father  in  these  schemes,  and  he  and  his 
partner,  the  Hon.  Samuel  Campbell,  still  unremittingly  pursue 
them. 

Wealth  has  poured  in  upon  the  proprietors.  Their  fabrics 
stand  unrivalled  in  the  market.  Their  village  of  two  thousand 
inhabitants  is  the  picture  of  thrift.  Not  a  sign  of  poverty  or  de- 
cay anywhere  appears.  It  is  the  abode  of  virtue,  too.  No  gam- 
bling is  practiced.  The  "  strange  woman"  never  pollutes  the 
place,  and  in  no  known  instance  has  chastity  been  corrupted.  Once 
or  twice  the  sale  of  intoxicating  drinks  was  attempted,  but  for  forty 
years  it  has  been  totally  suppressed. 

The  alumni  of  New  York  Mills  are  scattered  over  the  country, 
occupying  the  most  prominent  and  eligible  positions.  Hundreds 
of  them  are  prosperous  business  men  ;  at  least  a  hundred  are 
clergymen  and  lawyers  and  physicians;  many  are  State  and  Na- 
tional officers  and  legislators,  and  one  is  a  Chief  Justice,  and 
the  alumna  are  happy  wives  and  mothers  in  different  ranks  of 
society,  and  some  of  them  the  heads  and  leaders  of  the  highest. 
Numerous  letters  of  thanks  from  them,  full  of  pleasant  remin- 
iscences of  the  Mills,  are  received,  and  the  manifest  tokens  of  the 
wide-spread  and  lasting  blessings  they  have  conferred,  are  grate- 
fully accepted  by  the  proprietors  as  more  than  a  return  for  the 
attentions  to  their  operatives  they  have  shown. 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  353 

William  Dexter  Walcott,  Esq.,  is  the  son  of 
Benjamin  Stuart  Walcott,  Esq.  He  was  born  at  Whites- 
town,  July  29,  1813,  and  educated  at  the  best  schools  for 
vouth  in  the  country,  and  instructed  in  the  Sciences  for 
a  brief  period,  at  Yale.  The  state  of  his  health  pre- 
vented his  taking  a  full  collegiate  course,  though  he 
\\  as  designed  for  it  and  his  heart  was  set  upon  it.  Con- 
strained to  resort  to  an  active  life,  he  joined  his  father 
at  New  York  Mills,  and  entered  into  a  partnership  with 
him  and  the  Honorable  Samuel  Campbell,  and  with 
Mr.  Campbell,  finally  succeeded  to  the  entire  business. 
Quite  frail  and  liable  to  serious  illness,  he  has  borne  a 
weight  of  care  under  which  the  strongest  might  have 
sunk,  and  kept  up  an  activity  that  might  have  worn 
out  any  brawn.  The  secular  interests  committed  to 
him  would  naturally  have  engrossed  him,  but  he  has 
always  had  a  heart  for  religion  and  time  and  strength 
tor  its  service  and  promotion.  A  liberal  supporter  of 
the  Church,  a  laborious  Trustee  of  the  Society,  a  faith- 
ful communicant,  a  busy  elder,  he  has  long  superin- 
tended the  Sunday  school  and  taught  a  Bible  class, 
while  he  constantly  dispenses  from  his  income  and  pos- 
sessions to  charity  and  Christian  benevolence ;  and  by 
unbending  principle  and  blameless  dealings  in  business, 
and  l>\  niod.-si y  and  affability  and  intelligence  in  soci- 
ety, he  commends  himself  to  the  wide  circle  in  which 
he  moves.  A  Trustee  of  Hamilton  College  and  a  mem- 
ber of  it.-  Executive  Committee,  he  is  thoroughly  ac- 
quainted with  its  condition  and  management,  and  has 
shown  both  an  appreciation  of  thai  Institution  and  filial 
affection,  by  adding  115,000  to  his  father's  endowmeul 
of  the  Presidency  and  of  the  Professorship  of  the  Evi- 


3 54  PRESB  TTERIANISM  IN  THE 

dences  of  Christianity,  and  $10,000  to  the  Memorial 
Fund.  Mr.  Walcott  has  likewise  been  a  generous  pat- 
ron of  the  Whitestown  Seminary,  and  for  six  years  has 
acted  as  the  President  of  its  Board  of  Trustees.  He  came 
to  its  help  at  a  period  of  deep  depression,  and  by  the 
timely  gift  of  $5,000,  to  which  his  father  added  $1,000, 
lie  lifted  it  up,  and  started  it  on  a  career  of  prosperity 
in  which  it  has  since  made  very  remarkable  progress 
under  the  able  administration  of  Principal  James  S. 
Gardiner,  Ph.D. 

The  Hon.  John  Newton  Hungerfoe])  was  born  Dec. 
31,  1825,  in  the  town  of  Vernon,  Oneida  county,  within 
five  or  six  miles  of  Hamilton  College, — the  youngest  of 
a  family  of  nine  children,  and  a  son  of  New  England 
parents  who  came  to  this  town  where  they  settled  in  1800. 
He  lost  his  father  when  but  a  year  old,  and  in  the 
eleventh  year  of  his  age  he  went  to  Westfield,  Chautau- 
que  county,  to  live  with  his  oldest  brother,  the  late 
Sextus  II.  Hungerford,  Esq.  Passing  through  the 
Academy  there,  he  entered  Hamilton  College,  Sopho- 
more year,  and  graduated  in  1846.  Two  years  after- 
ward he  accepted  the  Cashiership  of  his  brother's  Bank 
ut  Westfield,  and  in  185-i  he  established  a  Bank  of  his 
own  at  Corning,  N.  Y.,  with  which  he  has  principally 
occupied  himself  since.  Business  has  not  alienated 
him  from  knowledge  and  culture,  nor  restrained  his 
agency  in  their  general  advancement.  In  1875  he  was 
called  by  the  Synod  of  Geneva  to  the  Board  of  Trus- 
tees of  Elmira  Female  College,  and  in  1871  he  took  his 
seat  among  the  Trustees  of  his  Alma  Mater;  and  be- 
sides  giving  his  personal  attention  to  these  Institutions, 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  :\~)~> 

he  recently  expended  $10,000  in  renovating  the  old 
"South  College''  at  Clinton,  and  turning  it  into  the 
convenient  and  comely  "Hungerford  Hall. ''  Though 
no  partisan  in  politics,  lie  has  taken  his  part  in  civil 
affairs,  and  in  1876  was  elected  to  Congress  by  a  ma- 
jority of  8,116,  in  a  district  that  for  the  immediately 
preceding  term  gave  2,872  majority  to  a  representative 
taken  from  an  opposite  party.  He  is  a  communicant 
of  the  Presbyterian  Church  and  a  Killing  Polder,  and 
for  twenty  years  has  acted  as  a  Trustee  of  the  Society. 
Inheriting  no  property,  he  acquired  what  he  holds  by 
industry,  economy,  energy  and  skill.  The  sorest  of 
earthly  griefs  has  befallen  him  by  the  death  of  Mary 
W.  Gansevort,  daughter  of  the  late  Dr.  Ten  Eyck 
Gansevort,  to  whom  he  was  married  in  1859,  at  Bath, 
Steuben  county. 

Hon.  Peter  Buel  Porter,  son  of  Judge  Augustus 
Porter  and  nephew  of  General  Peter  B.  Porter,  was 
born  at  Canandaigua,  X.  Y..  March  17,  1806.  Pre- 
paring for  it  in  the  Academy  of  that  town  of  beauty 
and  refinement,  he  entered  Hamilton  College  and  grad- 
uated there  in  L82&  Returning  to  his  home,  he 
studied  for  the  Par  in  the  office  of  Judge  Nathaniel 
\V.  Howell  and  commenced  practice  in  Buffalo.  His 
father  was  the  pioneer  citizen  of  Niagara  Falls,  and  in 
connection  with  his  uncle, a  large  land  proprietor  there. 
In  1837,  Mi'.  Porter  removed  his  residence  t.>  the  won- 
drous scenery  of  his  father's  home  and  remained  there 
until  his  death,  June  16,  L871.  In  L 840,  and  again  in 
L841,  he  repn  bis  district  in  the  Lower  Houa 

the  State  Legislature, and  in  the  latter  year  was  ch< 


35  6  PRESB  TTER1A  N1SM  IN  THE 

Speaker.  Of  fine  gifts,  improved  by  the  best  of  asso- 
ciations and  opportunities,  and,  with  intellectual  tastes, 
he  was  qualified  for  professional  and  civil  prominence, 
but  preferred  the  seclusion  of  private  life,  and  spent 
most  of  his  days  in  the  labors  and  deeds  of  an  useful 
citizen  and  Christian,  surrounded,  not  by  the  display 
of  ambitious  and  pretentious  wealth,  but  with  the 
objects  which  intelligence  and  refinement  and  the  love 
of  learning  and  literature  and  art  gather  in  the  home  of 
a  true  gentleman.  His  social  position  did  not  put  him 
out  of  the  circle  of  general  humanity,  and  his  ample 
resources  for  worldly  enjoyments  did  not  spoil  him  for 
spiritual  pleasures,  and  his  culture  did  not  refine  him 
beyond  masculine  exercises.  He  was  not  only  a  church 
member  and  a  ruling  elder,  but  a  true  and  active  and 
charitable  Christian.  In  the  provision  he  made  for  the 
disposal  of  his  estate,  when  death  relieved  him  of  its 
stewardship,  he  assigned  $5,000  as  a  permanent  fund 
for  the  Library  of  Hamilton  College. 

Though  born  in  the  village  of  Townsend,  Vt,  town  of 
Westminster,  May  27, 1807,  Samuel  Fletcher  Pratt, 
son  of  Samuel  Pratt,  Jr.,  and  grandson  of  Captain 
Samuel  Pratt,  was  brought  with  his  father's  family  to 
Buffalo  during  the  year  of  his  nativity.  From  a  spirit 
of  enterprise  and  adventure,  Captain  Pratt  set  out  in 
1S02,  with  a  few  of  like  mind,  to  explore  the  far  A  Vest. 
Proceeding  to  Montreal,  the  necessary  outfit  was  com- 
pleted, and  the  most  saleable  and  portable  articles  for 
barter  procured,  and  the  party  sailed  up  the  St.  Law- 
rence and  along  the  south  shore  of  Lake  Ontario  and 
up  the  Niagara  to  Lewiston,  and  making  the  portage 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK. 

around  the  Falls,  they  coasted  along  the  north  shore  of 
Lake  Eric  and  went  as  far  as  Mackinaw,  exchanging 

goods  for  furs.  Tt  was  a  hazardous  trip,  well  illustrat- 
courage  and  enterprise.  Touring  again  in  1803.  Cap- 
tain Pratt  was  left  in  the  wilderness,  near  what  is  now 
Sandusky,  under  a  violent  attack  of  small-pox.  with 
none  but  a  squaw  to  nurse  him.  Recovering  from  this, 
and  journeying  homewards,  he  passed  Buffalo,  then  but 
a  cluster  of  log-cabins,  and  now  a  city  of  1*20,000,  and 
the  eleventh  in  size  of  the  cities  of  the  country,  and 
comprehending  at  once  the  advantages  of  its  site,  the 
next  year,  closing  np  his  affairs  at  Westminster,  In; 
went  to  settle  upon  it.  He  was  not  a  professing  Chris- 
tian, but  of  religious  sentiments  and  devoted  to  his 
wife,  an  eminently  pious  woman,  and  finding  it  impos- 
sible both  on  his  own  account  and  hers  to  live  without 
gospel  ordinances,  in  1S<»5,  he  induced  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Whiting,  of  Boston,  to  join  him  in  his  new  home,  and 
thai  clergyman,  besides  preaching  and  conducting  pub- 
lic worship,  taught  a  school.  Mr-.  Pratt's  parlors  ac- 
commodated the  iirst  prayer  meetings  held  in  Buf 
fain,  and  these  were  the  forerunners  of  rhe  First  Pres 
byterian  Church  there.  Following  his  father,  with  his 
family,  in  1807,  Samuel  Pratt,  Jr.,  entered  the  same 
business  with  him,  but  in  partnership  with  Captain 
Benjamin  Caryl  He  left  the  firm  in  L810  to  a< 
the  sheriffalty  of  Niagara  county,  which  then  included 
Erie  and  Niagara  counties  of  tin-  present  day.  At  the 
expiration  of  bis  term  of  office,  he  resumed  businec 
company  with  his  brother-in-law,  Mi-.  Elijah  Leech. 
The  burning  of  Buffalo  by  the  British  in  the  War  of 
1812,  consumed  the  property  of  it-  citizens  and  exiled 


358 


PRESBTTERIANISM  IN  THE 


them  from  their  homes.  Oapt  Pratt  &  Son,  with  their 
families,  shared  the  universal  experience,  and  the  father 
died  from  it.  The  younger  Mr.  Pratt  made  his  way 
back  on  the  return  of  peace,  but  for  several  years  was 
■crippled  in  his  circumstances,  with  no  promise  of  relief. 
By  one  of  those  marked  providences  from  which  real 
life  so  often  surpasses  fiction,  in  1815,  he  was  put  in 
charge  of  the  business  concerns  in  Canada  of  an  early 
friend  of  his  wife,  and  about  a  year  after,  his  son, 
Samuel  Fletcher  Pratt,  joined  him  there.  The  father's 
health  so  far  failed  that  in  eighteen  months  he  was 
obliged  to  resign  his  post  and  return  to  his  home  in  the 
States.  The  son  remained  until  1S22,  in  which  year 
his  father  died,  and  then  he  came  back  to  Buffalo,  and 
at  the  age  of  fifteen  took  a  clerkship  in  the  hardware 
store  of  Or.  k  T.  Weed.  His  employers  were  not  slow 
to  discern  his  worth,  and  increased  his  salary  every 
year  until  1826,  when,  though  but  twenty  years  old, 
he  was  admitted  to  the  firm,  and  ten  years  after,  he 
became  sole  proprietor.  He  took  his  brother,  Mr. 
Pascal  P.  Pratt  into  partnership  with  him  in  1842,  and 
in  18-16,  they  associated  Mr.  Edward  P.  Beals  with 
them,  and  were  widely  known,  for  the  extent  of  their 
commercial  transactions  and  the  magnitude  and  variety 
of  their  manufactures,  and  established  the  new  house 
of  Pratt  &  Letch  worth  for  another  class  of  the  hard- 
ware trade. 

He  owed  much  to  what  cost  him  much, — the  disci- 
pline of  early  poverty.  And  yet  that  would  not  have 
availed  him  but  for  the  spirit  with  which  he  bore  it. 
and  the  use  he  made  of  it.  Says  an  intimate  friend  : 
"In  reviewing  the  lone  intercourse  between  Samuel  V. 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  359 

Pratt  and  myself,  I  cannot  recall  in  all  the  discussions 
growing  out  of  the  perplexities  of  business,  one  unkind 
word,  or  even  harsh  tone."'  "He  was  always  looking 
on  the  bright  side."  "If  he  discerned  anxiety  upon 
the  countenance  of  another,  he  was  likely  to  lead  the 
conversation,  after  a  little,  into  a  humorous  strain,  and 
eventually  bring  it  to  the  climax  of  a  laugh  so  hearty 
and  generous  as  to  dispel  every  shadow."  ,;I  never 
came  into  his  presence  and  looked  upon  his  frank,  open 
face,  but  I  felt  my  own  heart  lighter,  and  when  I  had 
left  him,  I  was  inspired  as  if  I  had  been  breathing  the 
fresh  mountain  air."  While  buoyant,  he  was  attentive 
to  others,  waiting  on  customers  with  the  respectfnlness 
due  to  competence  and  rank,  and  with  the  interest  sym- 
pathy awakened  for  the  diffident,  the  humble,  and  the 
poor,  and  just  and  honorable  alike  with  employers  and 
purchasers.  Nothing  seemed  a  task  or  a  tax  to  him 
that  served  the  concern  for  which  he  engaged,  and 
instead  of  wastinghis  sparehours  and  his  little  earnings 
in  amusements  and  vicious  indulgences,  he  diligently 
sought  improvement,  and  handed  six  of  the  eighl  dol- 
lars he  received  a  month,  to  his  widowed  and  needy 
mother.  As  a  matter  of  course,  principle  was  unbend- 
ing with  him,  and  combined  with  it.  was  the  most  deli- 
cate sense  of  bonor,  and  while  incapable  of  meanness 
and  wrong,  he  wrought  rigorously  and  boldly  in  what 
lie  ondertook,  and  D£ver  tired  or  halted  until   his  goals 

were  reached  and  his  objects  secured.     Quick  in  sj 

and  prompt  in  ; i < - 1  i <  > 1 1  in  commercial  allairs.  he  perpetra- 
ted no  rudeness,  and  iii  every  sphere  he  maintained, 
with  his  uprightness  and  kindness  ami  affability,  a  dig- 
nity that  inspired  deference  and  a  civility  approaching 


3  60  PS  BSB  YTEIilA  NISM  IN  THE 

punctiliousness.  Bred  in  a  store  and  living  in  a  count- 
ing room,  lie  was  strikingly  a  gentleman,  and  appeared 
more  like  a  courtier  than  a  merchant  He  seldom  ar- 
gued, and  never  disputed  or  retorted,  or  lost  his  temper. 
Though  so  averse  to  public  office  that  he  repeatedly 
refused  a  candidacy  for  the  Mayoralty  when  his  nomi- 
nation would  have  been  equivalent  to  his  election,  he 
did  serve  once  as  Alderman,  and  with  conscientious 
assiduity,  too.  lie  held  the  Presidency  of  the  City  (las 
Company  from  its  organization  until  his  death,  and  the 
first  Presidency  of  the  Female  Academy,  and  a  place 
in  its  Board  of  Trustees  from  1851,  when  it  was  consti- 
tuted, and  eyery  public  institution  in  the  city  numbers 
him  among  its  benefactors,  and  every  benevolent  asso- 
ciation received  his  constant,  but  unostentatious  aid.'5 
(irace  set  the  crown  on  his  character,  and  endowed 
his  life  with  its  chief  worth.  Uniting  with  the  First 
Presbyterian  Church  in  1826,  when  but  nineteen  years 
old,  he  remained  in  it  until  he  joined  the  compaii}T  of 
the  redeemed  in  heaven, — modest  here,  as  in  the  com- 
munit}',  and  unobtrusive,  but  consistent  with  the  rela- 
tion into  which  he  entered,  and  faithful  in  the  fulfill- 
ment of  its  duties.  Shut  out  from  his  habitual  associ- 
ations and  pursuits  by  the  confinement  which  sickness 
produced,  and  tortured  by  pain,  unrestrained  submis- 
sion tempered  his  soul  and  allowed  little  sense  of  his 
prison  and  his  rack.  "Closing  his  eyes  and  lifting  his 
feeble  hands  to  heaven,  he  was  ever  heard  to  say,  'I 
thank  my  Heavenly  Father  for  all  his  favor  and  kind- 
ness to  me  through  my  whole  life,  and  most  of  all  that 
he  has  given  me  a  well  grounded  hope  and  an  under- 
standing faith   in  my  Saviour.      That  is  all  lean  say 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  361 

Is  not  that  enough?'  Again  he  was  heard  whispering, 
'My  anchor!  my  anchor!'  and  soon  after,  'Sure  and 
steadfast !  Sure  and  steadfast !'  "  When  the  line  '  There's 
a  light  in  the  window  for  thee,'  was  repeated  to  him,  he 
immediately  added,  '  Yes,  and  the  window  is  standing 
open!'  A  lover  of  music,  he  delighted  in  sacred  song, 
and  from  the  age  of  sixteen  or  seventeen  until  near  his 
death,  he  held  a  place  in  the  choir  of  his  church.  On 
a  Sabbath  morning  just  before  the  familiar  strains  broke 
forth  he  had  so  long  helped  to  raise  in  his  loved  Sanc- 
tuary on  earth,  he  passed  into  the  temple  on  high,  and 
began  there  the  sweet,  yet  rapturous  notes  of  the  great 
multitude  which  no  man  can  number,  out  of  all  nations 
and  kindreds  and  people  and  tongues,  saying,  'Salva- 
tion to  our  God  which  sitteth  upon  the  throne  and  unto 
the  Lamb.' ": 

Mr.  Pratt's  Will  spoke  his  heart.  It  bequeathed 
$65,000  to  public  institutions— $30,000  of  this  amount 
being  designed  for  Hamilton  College. 

I  lun.  FREDERICK  STARR  was  born  in  Warren,  ( Jt,  May 
1,  1779.  lie  came  to  Rochester,  N.  Y.,  in  1822,  when 
it  was  a  village  of  2,500  inhabitants,  and  lived  to  see 

it  contain  90,000.  1I«'  began  business  as  a  cabinet- 
maker, but  spent  the  Last  twenty  wars  of   liis    life  as  a 

piano  manufacturer.  Nature  richly  favored  him  with 
tine  powers  of  mind,  an  active  temperament,  great  reso- 
lution and  boldness  and  persistence  and  fine  gifts  of 
speech.  11<'  was  made  for  a  public  man,  and  felt  him- 
self in  his  elemenl  in  public  enterprises  and  on  public 

Occasions.     In   National  and  State  and  M  unieipal  atlairs. 

he  habitually  took  a  prominent  party  and,  in  times  of 


362  PRESBYTEMANISM  IN  THE 

excitement,  he  alwxrys  appeared  as  an  actor  in  the 
scenes,  and  when  plans  were  proposed  for  the  advance- 
ment of  the  city,  he  passed  a  decided  and  independent 
judgment  upon  them,  and  vigorously  opposed  or  pro- 
moted them.  He  represented  the  city  in  the  Lower 
House  of  the  State  Legislature  in  1839,  and  would 
have  been  sent  there  the  next  year  had  he  not  insisted 
on  the  election  of  Judge  Sampson.  His  whole  self  was 
given  to  the  Saviour,  and  he  labored  in  his  cause  with 
characteristic  courage  and  energy.  He  joined  the  First 
Church  immediately  after  reaching  the  city,  and,  in  the 
twenty-seventh  year  of  his  age,  he  was  called  to  the 
Session,  and  continued  a  member  and  elder  there  for 
nearly  thirty  years.  A  pronounced  "New  School 
man/'  he  gave  up  both  positions,  when  the  church 
declined  to  connect  itself  with  the  New  School  body, 
and,  uniting  with  the  Central  Church,  he  was  immedi- 
ately appointed  an  elder  in  it,  and  so  continued  until 
his  death.  Incessantly  busy  in  the  parish,  always  in 
his  place  as  a  communicant  and  an  officer,  and  perform- 
ing his  part,  there  was  nothing,  however  difficult  and 
trying  and  humble  he  did  not  cheerfully  undertake  and 
patiently  prosecute.  He  regarded  himself  as  belong- 
ing to  the  church  at  large,  and  labored  as  earnestly  for 
great  interests  abroad  as  for  great  interests  at  home. 
The  Associations  and  Boards  of  Christian  benevolence 
found  him  among  their  best  supporters,  and  in  Presby- 
teries and  Synods  and  General  Assemblies,  he  deliber- 
ated and  wrought  for  the  progress  of  his  denomination 
and  of  the  Universal  Church.  He  freely  lent  himself 
to  the  Auburn  Theological  Seminary,  in  the  service  of 
which  his  son,  Kev.  Frederick  Starr,  Jr.,  was  so  highly 


SYNOD  OF  VENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  363 

distinguished,  and  for  many  years  he  filled  a  Trustee- 
ship of  that  Institution,  and,  for  his  last  years,  the 
Presidency  of  the  Board.  Public  movements  for  reli- 
gious reform  never  failed  of  his  advocacy  and  aid.  He 
entered  with  all  his  heart  and  might  into  a  grand 
scheme  of  his  friend  and  townsman,  Josiah  Bissell,  for 
the  general  distribution  of  the  Scriptures,  and  when 
that  gentleman  started  Sunday-keeping  passenger  boats 
on  the  Erie  Canal,  and  the  "Pioneer  Line"  on  the 
stage  route  from  Albany  to  Buffalo,  he  struck  hands 
with  him  and  with  his  main  coadjutor — Aristarchus 
Champion.  The  curse  and  sin  of  intemperance  and 
liquor-selling  pressed  upon  him,  and  he  could  not  keep 
silent  and  passive  in  regard  to  them,  and  on  no  theme 
was  he  more  ready  and  eloquent  in  speech,  and  in  no 
work  was  he  more  vigorous.  The  connection  of  learn- 
ing and  religion  was  clear  to  his  sharp  and  sweeping- 
vision,  and  acting  on  what  he  perceived,  he  paid  tribute 
to  learning  as  the  handmaid  of  religion.  While  living, 
he  established  a  $L,000  scholarship  in  Hamilton  Col- 
lege, and  while  anticipating  death,  he  set  apart  for  it 
the  further  sum  of  $3,000. 

General  John  ,I.\y  Knox  eminently  belongs  to  the 
list  of  benefactors  of  Hamilton  College.  Given  in 
frequent  instalments  during  u  protracted  period,  and 
never  withheld  for  any  considerable  interval,  tin-  sum 
of  his  contributions  in  money  is  a  large  amount.  But 
better  than  this  is  the  devotion  to  the  College,  with 
winch,  even  more  in  adversity  than  in  prosperity,  he 
clung  to  it  and  served  it.  A  Trustee  from  L828  to 
L876,  and  for  thirty  years  Chairman  of  the  Board,  he 


364  PRESB  YTERIANISM  IN  THE 

missed  but  two  of  its  ninety-eight  meetings  during  that 
space.  There  was  remarkable  vivacity  and  earnestness 
in  his  interest  in  tlie  College,  giving  a  youthful  air  to 
his  manifestations  of  it.  Nothing  about  it  ever  de- 
pressed him,  and  almost  everything  elated  him,  and 
the  enthusiasm  he  felt  he  widely  communicated.  He 
thoroughly  believed  in  the  College — in  its  superior 
character  and  standing — in  the  high  grade  and  value  of 
the  education  it  gave — in  the  happy  influence  on  its 
students  it  exerted.  No  less  than  four  of  his  sons  and 
five  of  his  grandsons  were  committed  to  it  and  gradu- 
ated from  it, 

Gen.  Knox  was  born  at  Canajoharie,  N.  Y.,  March 
18,  1791,  and  brought  up  there.  In  1811  he  removed 
to  Augusta,  Oneida  county,  where  he  entered  into  ex- 
tensive business.  In  1813,  he  married  Sarah  Ann 
Curtis,  and  remained  in  the  residence  where  they  set 
u [)  housekeeping  until  his  death,  Jan.  31,  1876.  It 
was  but  a  hamlet  to  which  he  went,  founded  principally 
by  New  England  immigrants  twenty  years  before,  and 
grown  only  to  six  or  eight  dwellings,  one  store,  and  a 
blacksmith  shop.  Bringing  a  small  capital  with  him, 
he  rapidly  enlarged  it  by  prudent  yet  enterprising  mer- 
chandise, principally  on  the  system  of  barter,  sending 
the  grain  and  potash  for  which  he  exchanged  his  goods 
to  Albany  in  sleighs,  and  drawing  back  replenishments 
of  his  stock.  The  thrift  he  showed  imparted  itself  to 
his  neighbors,  and  still  more,  his  honesty  and  honor. 
Every  good  cause  found  him  a  supporter  in  the  com- 
munity, particularly  the  Temperance  reform,  and  he 
was  brought  into  prominence  in  this  latter  in  its  opera- 
lions  throughout  the  State.      A  pillar  in  the  church  at 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YOIiK.  365 

his  home,  he  gave  constantly  as  the  Lord  prospered 
him  to  the  schemes  of  the  church  at  large,  and  never, 
until  death  removed  him,  was  he  absent  from  the  Chair 
of  the  Oneida  County  Bible  Society,  over  which  he  was 
chosen  to  preside,  by  annual  elections,  for  forty  years. 
Buoyant  and  energetic  and  shrewd,  he  was  simple  as  a 
child,  and  as  innocent  and  pure,  attracting  universal 
respect  and  confidence  and  regard  by  his  spotless  char- 
acter and  unblemished  life,  and  by  his  cordiality  of 
manner  and  kindness  of  heart.  His  religion  pervaded 
him,  and  while  kept  by  it  unspotted  from  the  world,  it 
took  him  always  to  his  place,  and  prepared  him  for  his 
part  at  social  exercises,  made  him  a  devout  priest  at  his 
family  altar  and  a  Christian  head  of  his  household, — 
bringing  up  his  children  in  the  nurture  and  admonition 
of  the  Lord,  all  of  whom  it  was  his  privilege  and  ji 
welcome  to  a  membership  of  the  church, —  bathed  his 
soul  in  secret  communion  with  God,  and  fitted  him  to 
depart  in  peace  and  abundantly  to  enter  the  kingdom 
of  heaven. 

Mr.  SAMUEL  JAKDIN,  a  retired  merchant  of  Philadel- 
phia, appropriated  $4,000  to  the  (.'"liege  to  be  set  apart 
as  a  fund,  the  income  of  which  shall  be  applied  to  indi- 
gent students  lor  the  ministry. 

M  rs.  Sarab  Baibd,  stteville,  waa  called  to  the 

great  trial  of  losing  a  son,  a  mosl  \\ « >rt h  v  and  promising 
south,  by  the  accidental  dischai  gun.     As  a 

memorial  of  him,  and  for  the  aid  of  needy  students,  Bhe 
established  a  fund  in  the  I  >■" 0. 


366  riiESB  YTEIUA NISM  IN  THE 

Edwin  Clark  Litchfield  was  born  in  the  imme- 
diate vicinity  of  Cazenovia.  His  father's  family  re- 
moved soon  after  to  that  village,  and  he  spent  his  child- 
hood and  early  youth  there.  Graduating  at  Hamilton 
College  in  1832,  he  prepared  for  the  bar,  and  in  part- 
nership with  Charles  Tracey,  Esq.,  now  a  leading  law- 
yer in  New  York,  secured  a  large  and  conspicuous 
practice.  Circumstances  however,  diverted  him  from 
his  profession  to  Eailway  transactions,  and  besides  be- 
coming largely  interested  in  different  roads,  he  was 
active  in  several  Directorships,  and  held  important 
Presidencies.  This  business  induced  his  removal  to 
New  York,  and  afterwards  crossing  to  Brooklyn,  he 
made  his  residence  there,  and  added  large  real  estate 
purchases  and  improvements  to  his  previous  operations. 
His  affairs  and  the  state  of  his  health  have  carried  him 
often,  with  his  family,  to  Europe  and  kept  him  for 
long  spaces  there  and  familiarized  him  with  German 
and  French  and  with  Trans- Atlantic  people,  countries 
and  governments.  Exacting  as  his  business  has  been, 
he  never  gave  up  reading  and  study  and  aesthetic  cul- 
ture and  enjoyment,  nor  felt  weaned  from  humanity. 
Too  genuinely  benevolent  to  make  a  show  of  it,  he  lias 
privately  practiced  a  kindly  and  generous  chanty,  while 
he  presented  the  munificent  gift  to  his  Alma  Mater  of 
$30,000,  for  the  Litchfield  Observatory  and  the  Litch- 
field Professorship  of  Astronomy. 

Mi:.  John  ( \  BALDWIN  was  born  in  Vermont,  but 
spenl  his  business  life  in  New  York  city,  and  on  retir- 
ing from  trade.  BOUghl  a  quirt  home  in  Orange,  X.  J. 
For  more  than  thirty  years  In1  seemed  doomed  to  death 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  o67 

by  consumption,  but  by  a  wise  and  patient  regimen  ool 
only  escaped  for  that  long  space,  but  managed  large 
commercial  operations  with,  signal  success.  His  dona- 
tions began  with  his  profits,  and  kept  pace  with  them, 
and  reached  an  immense  sum.  Casually  listening  to 
an  appeal  for  the  endowment  of  the  Presidency  of  Wa- 
bash College,  he  at  once  subscribed  towards  it  what 
amounted  in  the  end  to  $8,250,  and  in  a  few  week* 
added  enough  to  make  it  $10,000,  and  a  year  after  he 
gave  110,000  more.  In  1807  he  contributed  $10,000 
to  Hamilton  College,  and  after  specific  legacies  of  over 
$300,000  in  his  Will,  he  directed  that  "the  remainder 
of  his  estate,  of  every  kind  and  nature,  be  divided  into 
four  equal  parts,  one  of  which  shall  be  given  to  Middle; 
bury  College,  a  second  to  Williams  College,  a  third  to 
Hamilton  College,  and  a  fourth  to  Wabash  Coll. 
the  share  of  each  being  over  $30,000.  It  appearing 
aftQr  Mr.  Baldwin's  death  that  he  had  promised 
$15,000to  Mary ville College,  Tenn.,  intending  to  presenl 
it  as  a  gift,  that  sum  was  paid  by  the  other  coll. 
leaving  their  several  portions  $27,960.  lb'  directed 
that  the  money  should  be  securely  invested,  and  its 
"income  applied  towards  the  support  and  education  of 
indigent  students,  members  of  some  Christian  church, 

holding  the    doctrine  of    the  divinit  \   of   Christ  as    held 

bj  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  the  United  States  of 
A.merica,  preference  being  given  to  those  who  stand 

highest,  in  the  grade  of  scholarship,  and  scholarship  be- 
ing equal,  preference  to  be  again  given  t<»  those  who 
purpose  to  devote  their  lives  to  the  gospel  ministry." 
It  bas  been  understood  that  Mr.  Baldwin  disbursed 
more  in  benevolence  during  his  life,  than  he  bequeathed 


368  PRESBYTERIANISM  IN  THE 

to  it  at  his  death  ;  and  he  kept  up  his  giving  while  "the 
last  enemy"  was  assailing  him,  and  fell  with  offerings 
to  loved  friends  and  prized  objects  in  his  hands.  He 
was  a  man  of  intense  earnestness,  but  of  quiet  and  dig- 
nified manners,  and  it  was  touching  to  listen  to  the 
gentleness  and  sweetness  with  which,  in  his  last  sick- 
ness, he  referred  to  his  wife,  who  enfeebled  like  him- 
self, was  gradually  but  surely  dropping  with  him  upon 
their  couch  in  the  grave. 

Christopher  R  Robert,  Esq.,  is  a  native  of  Brook- 
haven,  L.  I,  born  March  23, 1802,  and  received  an  Aca- 
demic education  at  Jamaica,  L.  I.  Sixty  years  ago,  1817,  he 
began  a  mercantile  clerkship  in  the  city  of  New  York, 
and  five  years  after  became  a  principal  in  business,  car- 
rying it  on  chiefly  in  New  Orleans.  In  1830,  he  estab- 
lished himself  in  New  York  as  head  of  the  firm  of 
Robert  &  Williams,  selling  cotton,  sugar  and  tobacco 
received  from  New  Orleans  and  Cuba.  The  concern 
passed  successfully  through  the  panics  of  1837,  1847r 
1857  and  1801,  and  broke  up  in  1862,  Mr.  Robert 
retiring  from  it  at  that  time,  and  in  1863,  from  the 
Presidency  of  a  large  Railway  and  Coal  Company, 
which  he  had  filled,  and  thus  closed  his  business  career. 

Mr.  Robert  made  his  first  public  profession  of  reli- 
gion, January,  1828,  in  the  Laight  St,  Presbyterian 
Church,  New  York,  then  under  the  care  of  Rev.  Dr.  S. 
II.  Cox.  He  served  as  a  ruling  elder  from  1834  to 
1862,  associated  for  the  first  six  months  with  Harlan 
Page,  and  for  nearly  thirty  years  he  was  Superintendent 
of  one  of  the  largest  Sunday  schools  in  the  city.  The 
property  put  in  his  possession  has  been  held  in   trust 


5  7N0D  OF  C EXTRA  L  NEW  YORK.  369 

for  the  Lord.  Hamilton  College  has  shared  in  its  dis- 
tribution, $4,400  having  been  sent  there  to  aid  bene- 
ficiary candidates  for  the  ministry.  The  college  at 
Constantinople,  bearing  his  name,  (with  his  reluctantly 
yielded  consent.)  has  been  the  principal  recipient  of  his 
broadcast  funds, — about  $114,000  having  fallen  to  it 
from  him.  No  hall  of  literature  and  science  in  the 
world  stands  on  so  magnificent  a  site.  ''It  occupies 
those  heights  near  the  old  European  fortress  where  the 
Bosphorus  bends  towards  the  north,  so  that  to  all  as- 
cending or  descending  those  straits,  the  college  build- 
ings attract  every  eye.  The  commerce  and  travel  of 
large  portions  of  Asia  Minor,  Persia,  South  Russia  and 
all  the  countries  along  the  Danube  sweep  by  it.  Thirty 
thousand  sailing  vessels  and  countless  steamers  pass  it 
every  year,  and  the  stars  and  stripes  waving  from  its 
tower  are  often  saluted  by  the  flags  of  various  nations. 
Darius  with  his  seven  hundred  thousand,  crossed  here. 
Kenophon  with  his  immortal  ten  thousand,  encamped 
in  the  valleys  opposite.  The  Crusaders  crossed  at  this 
spot,  and  Mahomet  2d  erected  this  fortress  to  command 
the  Bosphorus,  preliminary  to  his  victorious  Biega"  It 
was  long  before  the  government  would  consent  to  the 
jite  for  the  college,  but  allowed  at  last,  a 
structure  has  been  put  up  substantial  enough  to  defy 
assault  or  corrosion,  handsome  as  a  piece  of  architect- 
ure, and  convenienl  for  its  purposes.  And  the  college 
.  I  rooted, — drawing  nourishment  from  its  imme- 
diate  soil,  and    self-8UStaining.       [tfl  capacity  is  alp 

short  of  its  requirements.  With  the  need  of  accommo- 
dating five  hundred  Btudents,  it  has  r<><>in  for  only  two 
hundred  and  fifty,  and  the  appeal  is  earnestly  addn 


370  PRESBYTERIANISU  IN  THE 

to  all  wide-minded  and  large-hearted  philanthropists 
and  Christians  to  furnish  the  means  for  enlarging  the 
buildings  and  inereasing  the  corps  of  instructors.  The 
Faculty  of  Yale  College  join  in  the  declaration— "The 
founding  and  success  of  Robert  College  at  Constantino- 
ple, cannot  but  be  reckoned  among  the  most  remarka- 
ble events  of  the  century.  An  American  merchant, 
with  princely  and  far-seeing  munificence,  has  enabled 
an  American  Missionary  to  establish  at  that  ancient 
metropolis,  so  central  to  the  commerce  of  the  Old 
World  and  so  sure  to  be,  under  whatever  dynasty,  the 
scat  of  Empire,  an  American  College  for  liberal  educa- 
cation.  The  experienced  sagacity  of  Dr.  Hamlin,  his 
organizing  and  executive  ability,  his  literary  and  scien- 
tific attainments  and  his  religious  earnestness,  have 
placed  on  the  heights  that  look  over  the  Bosphorus  into 
A -in.  an  institution,  which,  with  its  building,  its  appa- 
ratus of  instruction,  its  learned  and  laborious  Professors, 
and  its  resort  of  students  representing  all  the  national i- 
ties,  languages  and  religions  of  the  Turkish  Empire,  has 
already  become  one  of  the  most  important  and  conspic- 
uous of  the  forces  that  are  introducing  a  new  era  in  the 
history  of  the  historic  countries  which  are  under  the 
Mohammedan  power." 

Mr.  Carlton  T.  Lewis,  of  the  New  York  Evening  Post. 
said  in  the  course  of  an  address  to  the  Alumni  of  Bow- 
doin  College,  "Here  is  the  vast  Ottoman  Empire,  an 
aggregation  <>f  many  races,  severed  from  one  another 
by  ages  of  social  prejudice,  of  reciprocal  hatred,  of  con- 
tending religions,  and  bound  together  only  by  the  pres- 
sure <>f  an  intolerable  tyranny.  Now  the  essential  idea 
of  Roberl  College  is  human  brotherhood.     It  will  have 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  371 

no  class  that  is  not  open  to  every  race,  nationality  and 
creed.  It  will  confer  no  honors  save  in  the  English 
tongue,  which  is  now  known  throughout  the  world  as 
the  language  of  freemen.  While  it  will  force  no  creed 
upon  any  man,  its  own  creed  is  Apostolic,  missionary, 
universal  Christianity,  in  which  is  neither  Jew  nor 
Greek,  but  all  are  one  in  Christ  Jesus.  Tt  is  the  theory 
and  habit  of  Turkish  life  that  every  man  comes  into 
the  world  with  his  religion,  his  social  position,  his  work, 
associations,  enjoyments  and  destiny  fixed  for  him  by 
his  birth, — hereditary  bonds  from  which  there  is  no 
escape.  The  feud  of  race  and  beliefs  are  gulfs  which 
divide  society  into  fragments, — barriers  against  all  pro- 
gress, obstacles  to  the  existence  of  a  community  of  men 
and  hindrances  to  tin.'  growth  of  the  individual  soul. 
1  know  nothing  more  impressive  than  the  establishment 
of  this  Institution  of  union  in  that  Empire  of  disinte- 
gration,— tin-  setting  np  in  instruction  and  in  practice, 
among  all  those  hereditary  isolations,  of  the  law  of  hu- 
man brotherhood, — the  proclamation  that  the  measure 
of  a  man  musl  be,  not  his  narrow  birthright  of  belief  or 
prejudice,  but  the  power  and  value  of  his  manhood." 

Mr.  Robert's  zeal  for  the  advancement  of  Christian 
education  has  hen  a  holy  and  enlightened  passion. 
Besides  the  $4,400  given  to  Hamilton  O  rid  a 

larger  sum  given  i<>  Auburn  Theological  Seminary  and 
th<>  foundation  of  Robert  College,  Mi'.  Robert  boughl 
the  G-overnmen1  property  on  Lookout  Mountain.  Tenn., 
and  devoted  it  to  academic  and  collegiate  instruction 
lor  that  Bection  of  the  country,  and  provided  funds 
from  time  to  time  for  current  expenses,  but  the  situa- 
tion, or  tin-  circumstances,  or  the  times,  have  not  been 


:  J  7 2  PRESB  YTEIilANISM  IN  THE 

favorable  to  the  enterprise,  and  skill  and  energy  and 
liberality  have  not  overbalanced  them. 

GrERRlT  Smith,  son  of  Peter  Smith,  was  born  in 
Utica,  March  6,  1797,  and  died  in  New  York,  during  a 
visit  there,  December  2,  1874,  and  was  buried  at  his 
home  in  Peterboro,  where  he  resided  the  greater  part 
of  his  life.  He  graduated  at  Hamilton  College  in  1818, 
and  his  first  wife  was  the  daughter  of  the  President. 
Dr.  Backus.  His  second  wife,  who  survived  him  but  a 
few  months,  was  the  daughter  of  William  Fitzhugb, 
Esq.,  of  Geneseo,  where  he  had  removed  from  Mary- 
land. Mrs.  Charles  Miller  and  Mr.  Green  Smith 
are  their  only  children  living.  The  records  of  the 
First  Presbyterian  Sunday  school,  Utica,  July  14th. 
183G,  has  the  entry.  "  Listened  to  an  interesting  narra- 
tive drawn  up  by  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Gerrit  Smith,  of  the 
life  and  death  of  their  beloved  son,  our  late  scholar. 
Fitzhugh  Smith.''  The  estate  Mr.  Smith  inherited  was 
one  of  the  largest  that  had  been  left  in  the  country, 
and  consisted  chiefly  of  land,  lying  in  almost  every 
County  of  New  York,  and  in  almost  every  State  of  the 
Union.  But,  though  charged  with  the  management  of 
this,  philanthropy  was  his  life  work,  and  nothing  di- 
verted hi  in  from  it.  He  was  admitted  to  the  Bar,  but 
not  until  1858,  when  he  was  ~>6  years  old,  and  cannot 
be  said  to  have  practiced  at  it,  though  he  took  part  in 
several  important  trials,  lie  was  elected  to  Congress, 
but  served  out  only  half  his  term.  A  free  composer  and 
a  fluent  speaker,  the  press  almost  constantly  showered 
his  writings  on  the  land,  and  his  speeches  were  as  con- 
stantly sounding  in  it.     Every  variety  of  religious  and 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  373 

moral  theme  enlisted  him,  but  chiefly  intemperance  and 
slavery.  Besides  any  number  of  pamphlets,  and  mag- 
azine and  newspaper  articles,  he  published  volumes  en- 
titled "  Speeches  in  Congress,"  "  Sermons  and  Speech- 
es," "The  Religion  of  Reason,"  "Speeches  and  Let- 
ters,"  "The  Theologies,"'  "Nature  the  Base  of  a  Free 
Theology,"  and  "  Correspondence  with  Albert  Barnes." 
Most  especially  was  he  engaged  for  the  negroes  of  the 
Union.  In  1825  he  espoused  the  colonization  scheme. 
After  the  Utica  mob,  he  abandoned  it  and  joined  the 
Abolitionists,  and  became  one  of  their  most  zealous 
speakers  and  writers,  and  their  most  munificent  contrib- 
utor. A  ceaseless  stream  of  charitable  and  benevolent 
gifts  flowed  from  him.  Responding  liberally  to  appli- 
cations to  him,  he  never  waited  for  these,  but  on  his 
own  motion  and  as  soon  as  he  heard  of  them,  sent  help 
to  promising  enterprises  for  usefulness  and  relief  to 
suffering  and  need.  He  gave  away,  from  time  to  time, 
large  quantities  of  land,  and  in  1848  distributed  200,000 
acres,  in  parcels  averaging  fifty  acres.  He  spent  lav- 
ishly to  make  Kansas  a  free  State,  and  the  interest  thus 
inspired  in  John  Brown,  led  him  to  furnish  largely  the 
Binews  of  war  for  the  old  hero's  attack  on  Harper's 
Ferry  and  his  invasion  of  Virginia  The  tragical  fail- 
ure of  this  last  almost Qllixotical  adventure  was  a  ter- 
rible blow  to  Mr.    Smith,  and  for  a  time  his  reason  top 

pled  under  it.  But  the  shock  ultimately  calmed  him, 
and  sobered  his  views.  Nothing  was  too  hard  or  too 
much  for  bim  In  defence  of  the  Union  when  fiercely 
and  formidably  assailed.     Pen  and  tongue  tools  no  res 

pite,    and    treaSUP  laid    out    for   any  amount    of 

drafts  upon  them.     The  rebellion  subdued,  patriotism 


3  74:  PRESB  YTER1AN1SM  IN  THE 

left  Mr.  Smith  free  for  humanity,  and  manifesting  thus 
that  his  outlay  in  war  did  not  exhaust  his  pacific  senti 
ments,  with  Horace  Greely,  he  signed  the  bail  bond 
that  delivered  Mr.  Jefferson  Davis  from  a  felon's  cell. 
A  like  soothing  of  unnatural  excitement  in  religion  is 
said  to  have  been  felt  by  Mr.  Smith,  so  that  the  ex- 
travagant views  to  which  he  had  given  publicity  were 
toned  down  to  a  close  approach  to  an  evangelical 
creed,  if  not  to  a  substantial  accordance  with  it.  A 
man  of  fine  literary  tastes  and  gifts,  highly  cultivated, 
as  well  as  a  man  of  benevolence,  he  could  not  fail  to 
put  a  just  estimate  on  the  diffusion  of  knowledge  and 
facilities  for  education,  and  this  he  manifested  by  the 
establishment  of  a  Public  Library  in  Oswego,  where 
he  was  a  large  property-holder,  and  by  gifts  aggregat- 
ing $11,000  to  Hamilton  College,  of  which  institution 
he  was  a  distinguished  son. 

Hon.  William  Earl  Dotkje  was  born  in  Hartford, 
Ct,  September  4th,  1805.  His  father,  David  L.  Dodge, 
was  long  an  eminent  merchant  in  the  city  of  New  York, 
and  also  widely  known  as  a  writer  on  theological  and 
other  subjects,  and  as  an  advocate  of  the  cause  of  peace, 
and  as  the  first  President  of  the  National  Society  for  its 
promotion.  His  mother  was  the  daughter  of  Kev.  Aaron 
Cleveland,  distinguished  as  a  poet  and  wit,  as  well  as  a 
divine  The  father  spoke  of  his  son  as  a  good  boy,  full 
of  filial  affection,  a  loving  brother  and  amiable  towards 
all,  very  conscientious  and  of  great  nobility  of  nature. 
Having  received  a  good  English  education,  Mr.  Dodge 
was  employed  as  youngest  clerk  in  the  dry  goods  estab- 
lishment of  Mi-.  John  Merrit,  a  Quaker  merchant   in 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  37o 

Pearl  street,  New  York.  At  that  early  age  and  at  that 
beginning  of  his  active  life,  he  showed  the  qualities 
that  have  been  so  conspicuous  throughout  his  career. 
A  little  circumstance  indicated  what  he  was  and  illus- 
trates what  he  has  always  been.  The  keys  of  the  store 
were  committed  to  him,  and  it  was  his  ambition  to  open 
the  doors  and  prepare  everything  within  for  business 
before  there  was  any  stir  in  the  neighborhood  At  the  end 
of  the  first  year  of  his  engagement,  he  was  presented  with 
a  gold  watch,  in  token  of  the  satisfaction  he  gave.  By 
the  time  he  reached  his  majority  he  had  accumulated 
savings  enough  for  capital  in  a  dry  goods  trade,  in  which 
he  embarked  with  a  partner.  He  now  attracted  the  at- 
tion  of  Anson  Gr.  Phelps,  Esq.,  senior  member  of  the 
metal  firm  of  Phelps  &  Peck,  and  the  result  was  an  in- 
vitation to  a  partnership  with  them,  which  he  accepted. 
Such  was  the  impulse  he  gave  to  affairs,  that  Mr.  Phelps 
remarked  that  he  was  worth  more  than  any  amount  of 
capital  that  could  be  named.  The  stjde  of  the  firm  was 
soon  changed  to  Phelps,  Dodge  &  Co.,  and  its  transactions 
from  that  time  have  exceeded  those  of  any  other  house 
in  the  same  line  in  the  country.  Mr.  Dodge  has  not  con- 
fined bis  business  activity  to  the  concern  with  which  he 
is  immediately  connected  He  is  well  known  as  a  busi- 
ness man  generally,  taking  part  in  the  construction  and 
directorship  of  extensive  railways,  in  mining,  in  manu- 
facturing, in  various  commercial  enterprises  and  opera- 
tions, and  is  probably  the  largesl  owner  of  lumber  land 
in  the  country.  For  many  years  he  presided  over  the 
New  Fork  Chamber  «•!'  Commerce,  and  is  always  fore- 
most  in  projects  and  movements  for  the  interest 
ira  Hie  and  industry.     And  Al  r.  Dodge  has  not  been  con- 


371  >  PRESB  YTERIA NISM  IN  THE 

lined  to  financial  spheres.  His  public  spirit  enlisted 
him  in  civil  affairs.  He  served  as  a  member  of  the  House 
of  Representatives  in  the  39th  Congress,  his  talents 
and  commercial  experience  fitting  him  for  prominence 
and  influence  and  usefulness  there.  Of  broad  views 
and  patriotic  sentiments,  lie  could  never  play  the  poli- 
tician and  partisan,  but  has  always  acted  like  a  trae 
statesman,  and  again  and  again  has  come  to  the  front  in 
the  country's  emergencies. 

lie  united  with  the  church  when  only  twelve  years 
old,  and  from  that  early  age  continuously  on  has  acted 
consistently  with  the  sacred  relation  into  which  he  en- 
tered He  has  exercised  the  ruling  eldership  in  the 
Brick  Church,  the  2nd  Avenue  Church,  the  Madison 
Square  Church,  and  the  Church  of  the  Covenant,  all  of 
New  York.  For  fifty  years  he  served  in  Sunday 
schools,  and  the  various  benevolent  and  religions  asso- 
ciations designed  for  the  metropolis  have  always  com- 
manded his  efficient  help.  He  has  also  traversed  the 
wider  field  of  his  Christian  denomination  and  of  the 
( 'hurch  universal ;  holding  important  places  and  fulfill- 
ing important  offices  in  ecclesiastical  bodies,  and  in  evan- 
gelizing societies  and  boards,  and  ever  ready  for  any 
part  to  which  extraordinaiy  occasions  called  him.  For 
years  lie  has  tilled  the  Vice  Presidency  of  the  Ameri- 
can Board  of  Commissioners  for  Foreign  Missions,  and 
is  among  the  most  earnest  in  the  proceedings  at  its  an- 
nual meetings.  He  is  President  of  the  National  Tem- 
perance  Society  and  zealous  in  the  promotion  of  its  ob- 
jects. He  has  been  active  in  the  Evangelical  Alliance, 
and  his  spirit  is  always  stirred  and  his  lips  opened  by 
special  movements  and  gatherings  for  the  general  wel- 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  377 

fare  and  for  the  extension  of  the  church.  Prompt  and 
persevering  and  liberal  in  procuring  the  agency  of  others 
for  the  public  good,  he  never  holds  back  from  effort  he 
himself  may  put  forth,  and  when  circumstances  require 
it,  as  in  the  frontier  settlements  to  which  his  business 
often  takes  him,  he  shows  himself  as  ready  for  lay 
preaching  and  for  leading  social  and  public  worship,  as 
for  secular  transactions.  His  name  is  synonymous  with 
munificent  giving,  and  yet  the  gifts  that  are  seen,  there 
is  reason  to  believe,  are  small,  compared  with  what  are 
concealed.  It  would  be  difficult  to  mention  a  good  ob- 
ject to  which  he  has  not  largely  contributed  Hamil- 
ton College  is  known  to  him  from  report  alone,  but 
that  has  been  enough  to  prompt  a  donatio]!  from  him 
of  $6,000. 

In  the  23d   year  of    his  age  and   immediately  after 
entering  the  firm  of  Phelps  &  Peck.  Mr.   Dodge 
joined  in  marriage  to  Melissa,  daughter  of  .'•..-    .    <<. 
Phelps,  and  seven  of  eleven  children,  all  of  the  living 
being  sons,  are  spared  to  them. 


"The  question  before  our  profession  to-day,"  said 
President  Anderson,  of  Rochester  University,  "is  this: 
'Shall  the  young  men  of  the  future  be  trained  in  sci- 
entific methods,  .-"called,  which   assume  a  godless   uni- 

.  and  denythe  reality  of  all  distinction  between 

mind  and  matter,  or  in  a  method  w  bich  finds  an  Infinite 

Mind    as  the   bottom  thought  of  all   science   and  m<>ral 

law,  incarnated  in  all  history,  in  all  jurisprudence,  and 
in  every  form  <>f  social  order?'  1  am  aware  of  the  per- 
Bistenl  ridicule,  qoI  to  say  misrepresentation,  which  has 


378  PRESB  YTEMANISM  IN  TUB 

been  expended  upon  what  are  called  '  sectarian  colleges.7 
It  is  forgotten  that  there  may  be  a  sectarianism  of  scep- 
ticism and  irreligion,  as  positive  and  bitter  as  any  that 
exists  within  the  limits  of  religions  denominations.     As 
a  general  rule,  it  is  not  true  that  the  colleges  of  our 
country  have  been  used  as  instruments  for  propagating 
the  tenets  of  religious  sects  among  their  students.  Such 
a  charge,  indiscriminately  made  against  those  who  con- 
trol the  American  colleges  that  have  derived  their  main 
endowments   from    religious    denominations,    may   be 
justly  designated  as  slanderous.     No  man  acquainted 
with  the  broad-minded,  liberal  and  learned  men  who 
have  the  control  of  these  so-called  'sectarian'  institutions 
can  either  intelligently  or  honestly  charge  them  with 
using  their  positions  for  sectarian  purposes,  in  any  legit- 
imate sense  of  the  term.     No  thoughtful  man  can  ignore 
the  work  which  such  'sectarian'  colleges  as  Harvard. 
Yale,    Princeton,    Dartmouth,    Columbia   and    Brown 
have  done  for  the  country.     They  have  all  been  pre- 
dominantly controlled  by  some  denomination  of  Chris- 
tians, and  they  represent  to-day  the  highest  type  of  our 
intellectual  growth.    They  have  saved  our  country  from 
educational  barbarism.     They  have  adopted  into  their 
curriculum  every  new  science  which  has  established  any 
just  claim  to  recognition.     They  have  been  nurseries  of 
I  >ubl  ic  morality  and  of  an  exalted  patriotism.    They  have 
given  tone  and  elevation  to  our  literature.     They  have 
furnished  an  education  distinctively  American, — abetter 
preparation  for  American  public  life,  whether  political, 
professional,  or  mercantile,  than  can  be  furnished  by 
any  institutions  in  the  Old  World,  however  broad  and 
comprehensive  their  courses  of  instruction  maybe.'' 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YOIiK.  379 

Superintendent  Ruffner,  of  Virginia,  remarks:  "I 
am  persuaded,  after  careful  examination,  that  the  use- 
fulness and  popularity  of  a  college  are  not  necessarily 
diminished  because  it  is  controlled  by  a  particular  de- 
nominational influence.  If  properly  managed,  this 
simply  secures  an  earnest  and  peaceful  religious  influ- 
ence over  young  men  under  circumstances  in  which  it 
is  specially  important  that  they  should  have  it.  Whilst 
on  the  one  hand  the  home  teaching  and  influence  may 
be  sufficient  for  children  whilst  going  to  school  at  or 
near  home,  and  whilst  on  the  other  hand,  the  mature 
young  man  who  goes  to  the  University  may  be  trusted 
to  keep  himself  under  wholesome  influences,  the  imma- 
ture youth  who  goes  from  home  before  his  habits  have 
become  firmly  established,  needs  to  be  placed  under 
guaranteed  influence  of  the  most  healthful  sort,  and 
there  is  nothing  better  than  the  homogeDeous  habits 
and  spirit  of  a  denominational  college.'' 

The  College    is  the  child  of  the  Church.      The  old 
Universities  of   England  were  begotten  by  it,  and  also 
Harvard,  Yale,  Princeton,  and  most  of  the  younger 
of   our  land.      And  born  of   the  Church,  Colli 
are  its  filial  servants.     They  educate  its  Ministry-  i 
fourth  of  their  graduates  passing  into  it.     They  swell 
Its  membership — a  larger  proportion  of  their  students 
becoming  hopefully  pious  than  of  the  members  of  anj 
other  community.     Revivals  In  them  are  frequent  and 
sweeping.     Twenty  of  these  occurred  at   Yale  during 
tic  century  after  the  "great  revival"  ^i  L740,  and  one 
every  two  years   In  the  quarter  of  a  century  following, 
and  fifty  thousand  conversions  are  estimated  to  have 
resulted  from  a  single  revival  under  President  Dwight 


380  MESBYTERIANISM  IN  THE 

Hamilton  College  is  the  child  of  the  Church,  and  has 
been  nourished  by  it.  It  has  also  returned  far  beyond 
what  it  has  received.  Like  sister  institutions,  and  from 
the  nature  of  all  such  institutions,  it  can  never  pass  out 
of  the  stage  of  dependence  and  need,  while  its  indis- 
pensableness  to  the  church  must  ever  continue,  and  its 
offices  for  it  will  multiply  and  enlarge. 

The  following  is  the  census  of  the  colleges  of  the 
country  under  religious  influence  and  control  : 

Congregationalists 2L 

Presbyterians,  .         .         .....  31 

Baptists 38 

Episcopalians, 18 

Methodists, 53 

United  Brethren, 5 

Lutherans, .16 

Reformed  Dutch  and  German,         ....  (» 

Friends 4 

Evangelical  Association 1 

Moravians,  .         .         .         .  .         .         .  1 

Total 194 

Number  of  Professors  in  162  Colleges,        .        .        1,444 
Number  of  Students  in  157  "  ...  15,208 

THEOLOGICAL   SEMINARIES. 

Congregationalists, 8 

Presbyterians, 19        ■ 

Baptists 22 

Methodists 13 

Episcopalians, 12 

Lutheran  and  German  Reformed,         .         .         .         .21 

Moravian, 1 

United  Brethren, .1 

Total 97 

Professors  in  82,  .  .        .  .        .        304 

Students  in  73 2,825 

Graduates  from  45.     ......     19,531 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  881 

STATISTICS  OF  BENEVOLENCE  IN  THE  LAND. 

FOKEIGN  MISSIONS. 

Societies  and  Boards,             .            .             .            .  .            18 

Foreign  Missions.            .....  83 

Foreign  Stations  and  Sub-Stations,             .             .  .         2/2?:! 

Foreign  Missionaries— males,                 .             .             .  48o 

"                 "             — females,        .             .             .  .514 

Total  laborers  on  foreign  stations,          .             .             .  8,908 
Native  converts  enrolled,      .....     00,03'.) 

Scholars  in  schools  (incomplete),             .             .             .  00,4Gb* 

Woman's  Missionary  Boards,             .             .             .  .             10 

Auxiliaries,            ......  3,625 

Foreign  Missionaries  supported,         ....  205 

Assistants,              ......  293 

Schools,            .            .            .            .            .            .  .195 

HOME  MISSIONS. 

Boards,  including  Freedman's  and  American  S.  S.  Union,  88 

Laborers,             ......  8,781 

Localities  supplied,              .....  9,129 

Conversions  and  additions  in  a  single  year,                 .  20,918 

Sunday  Schools  organized  in  a  single  year,           .            .  4,021 

RELIGIOUS   I'KESS. 

About  nineteen-twentieths  of  the  religious  Periodical  literature 
is  furnished  by  the  Evangelical  Churches. 

Number  of  Periodicals,  ....  40*3 

Regular  circulation,  ....  L.764,358 

Copies  issued  in  a  single  year,  .  .  .       125, 1)50, 49(5 

There  ar.-  Dot   less  than  twenty  religious  Publication  Boards 

sustained  by  the  Evangelical  Churches  in  the  United  Statts.      The 
annual   receipts   from  sales  and  donations  of   sixteen  of   tie 

lsT2,  were  $4,165,870—  of  which  $725,158  72  vn  re  contribution! 
to  fourteen  of  t lie  Boards. 
The  American  Bible  Society  Issued  in  57  years,  80  891 ,82 1  Bibles 

and  Testaments;   American  Tract  Society,  in  |s  j  .ais.  2  885  108,095 

.  American  Tract  Society  in  Boston,  in  11  years,  02,9€ 
pages;  Methodist  Hook  Concern  in  New  Fork, in  12  jean, 68,844 


382  PRESBYTERIANISM  IN  THE 

800  pages;  The  Presbyterian  Board  of  Publication  in  33  years, 
issued  18,009,056  volumes  and  tracts;  The  Baptist  Publication 
Board  in  49  years,  40,232,017  volumes  and  tracts,  equal  to  2,182," 
634.947  pages,  18mo. 

BENEVOLENT  CONTRIBUTIONS  IN  1872. 

Foreign  Missions,            ....  $2,150,000  00 

Home  Missions,         .....  2,600,000  00 

Church  Erection,            ....  500,000  00 

Ministerial  Education,         ....  450,000  00 

Religious  Publication,                .            .            .  725,000  00 


Total,  .....       $6,425,000  00 

Total  Receipts  from  their  organization  down  to  1872,  by 
Publication  Boards,  ....       $73,000,000  00 

Foreign  Missions,         ....  37,000,000  00 

Home  Missions,       .....         33,000,000  00 
Education,         .....  11,000,000  00 


Total,  .....     $154,000,000  00 


Says  Wm.  F.  Warren,  D.D.,  of  the  Boston  Univer- 
sity :      * 

Going  back  to  the  colonial  period  of  our  country's  history,  we 
are  struck  at  the  outset  by  the  remarkable  fact  that  the  first 
effective  preparation  of  the  original  British  American  colonists 
for  social  and  political  unity  was  due  to  a  great  religious  awaken- 
ing, the  revival  which  commenced  in  1740.  Down  to  that  time, 
the  spirit  of  intercolonial  jealousy,  isolation,  and  repellency  had 
prevailed  over  every  centripetal  and  nationalizing  influence.  Till 
that  time  there  had  been  neither  ethnological,  political,  social,  nor 
religious  unity.  On  the  contrary,  the  numberless  international, 
civil,  social,  and  religious  antagonisms  of  all  Europe  seemed  con- 
centrated upon  a  narrow  strip  of  this  Atlantic  coast,  Shut  in  be- 
i  ween  the  territories  of  Frauce  upon  the  north  and  west,  and 
Spanish  Florida  on  the  south,  bisected  near  the  middle  by  large 


SYXOD  OF  VENTRAL  NEW  YORK. 

Dutch  and  Swedish  populations  in  New  York  and  Delaware,  over- 
dotted  with  settlements  of  every  European  nationality,  the  little 
British  colonies  of  two  hundred  years  ago  presented  in  most  re- 
spects the  least  hopeful  aspect  of  all  the  European  dependencies 
in  the  New  World.  No  two  existed  under  a  common  charter, 
scarce  two  had  a  like  religion.  Here  a  Romanist  colony  was 
nearest  neighbor  to  settlements  of  fugitive  Huguenots,  there  the 
plain  and  quietistic  Quaker  was  separated  only  by  a  boundary  line 
from  the  formal  and  rite  loving  Anglican.  Noblemen  and  peas- 
ants, Papists  and  Protestants,  Roundheads  and  Cavaliers,  Royal- 
ists and  haters  of  royalty,  believers  and  unbelievers,  all  found 
themselves  standing  on  a  common  platform — all  faithful  to  their 
Old  World  affinities.  Out  of  elements  so  utterly  heterogeneous, 
whence  could  unity  and  order  come'.'  It  could  come  only  from 
that  Author  of  Peace  and  (iiver  of  concord  who  delights  to  recon- 
cile all  antagonisms  and  unify  all  that  sin  has  dissevered. 

Toward  the  middle  of  the  last  century  came  the  fullness  of 
God's  time  for  generating  a  new  Christian  nationality.     First  a 
soul  was  needed  to  organize  the  rich  though  motley  elements  into 
one  living  national  body.     That  soul  was  communicated,  as  by  a 
divine  afflatus,  in  the  great  Whitefieldian  Revival.     In  its  mighty 
heat  the  old  intellectual  and  spiritual  partition  walls,  by  which 
the  colonies  had  been  so  long  isolated,  fused   and  let  one  tide  of 
gracious  influence  roll  through  the  whole  domain.     For  the 
time   in  their  history,  the   British  colonies   were  agitated    1 
thought,  swayed  by  one  mind,  moved  by  one  impulse.     Again  and 
again  through  all  these  colonies,  from  New  Hampshire  I 
this  most  famous  evangelist  of  history  moved  in  triumph.     Puri- 
tan New  Englanders  forgot  that  he  was  a  gowned  priest  of  the  very 
Church  from  whose  oppression  they  had  fled  to  the  wilds 
new  world.    Dutch  New  York  and  German  Pennsylvania  almost 
unlearned  their  degenerating  vernaculars  as  they  listened  to  hi- 

tial  eloquence.     The  Quaker  was  delighted  with 
simplicity,  the  Covenanter  and  Huguenot  with  his  "d< 
grace."    The  Episcopalians  were  his  by  rightful  church  fellow- 
ship, and  thus  it  came  to  pass  that  when,  sft< 
eighteen  times  in  his  flying  ministry,  he  lay  down  in  death  at 
Newbury  port,  he  was  unconsciously,  but  in  reality,  the  spiritual 
lather  of  a  great  Christian  nation.    The  fact  bai  i  i  duly 

acknowledged  by  the  historian,  but  •  fact  11 


384  PRESBYTER1ANISM  IN  THE 

Dr.  Warren  also  describes  the  state  of  religion  in  the 
country  at  the  breaking  out  of  the  Kevolutionary  War  : 

How  now  stood  the  Evangelical  and  anti-Evangelical  forces  in 
the  commencement  of  its  political  independence  ?  Ecclesiastically 
considered,  by  no  means  unfavorably.  Almost  the  entire  popula- 
tion belonged  to  Evangelical  churches,  and  what  was  still  more 
favorable,  to  Evangelical  churches  with  which  they  were  identi- 
fied by  all  the  ties  of  education  and  long-standing  tradition.  In 
New  England,  Puritan  independency,  or  Congregationalism,  was 
not  only  the  religion  established  by  law,  but  the  real  faith  of 
almost  the  entire  community.  In  the  Middle  and  Southern  States, 
with  the  exception  of  Pennsylvania,  the  Church  of  England  had 
been  the  established  Church,  though  in  many  sections  the  Re- 
formed Church,  including  its  three  great  branches,  the  Scotch, 
Dutch,  and  German,  equaled  or  surpassed  in  numbers  and  influ- 
ence the  communion  established  and  favored  by  law.  Though 
the  disruption  of  the  new  nation  from  the  mother  country  left  all 
communicants  of  the  Church  of  England  disorganized  and  church- 
less,  they  remained  so  for  a  very  brief  period  only.  In  1784  and 
1789  they  organized  themselves  into  two  new  Episcopal  Churches, 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  and  the  Protestant  Episcopal,  each  retain- 
ing, with  slight  modifications,  the  Articles  of  Religion,  the  Litur- 
gy, and  many  of  the  traditions  of  the  Anglican  mother.  Luther- 
anism  at  this  time  was  not  strong.  Even  including  the  ten  or 
twelve  Moravian  societies,  the  whole  strength  of  the  American 
Lutheran  Church  did  not  exceed  some  seventy  five  parishes.  Still 
it  was  not  greatly  disproportioned  to  the  German  population.  To 
sum  up,  with  a  population  of  about  three  millions,  there  was  very 
nearly  an  Evangelical  minister  to  every  two  thousand  souls. 
There  were  healthful  traditions  of  the  godly  character  and  Chris- 
tian heroism  of  the  original  settlers;  there  were  living  recollec- 
tions of  the  mighty  revivals  of  the  last  generation.  Such  were 
the  hopeful  elements  in  the  new  national  life,  religiously  consid- 
ered. 

Notwithstanding  this  favorable  religious  aspect  and  prospect, 
however,  the  cause  of  Evangelical  religion  has  probably  never 
seen  darker  days  in  America  than  precisely  at  this  period. 

The  French  infidelity  of  the  era  of  Voltaire  was  a  formidable 
antagonist.     The  soil  of  the  American  mind  was  peculiarly  fitted 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  385 

for  the  reception  of  this  form  of  false  doctrine.  Almost  half  a 
century  had  passed  since  the  great  awakening  of  1740-44.  Nearly 
all  of  this  period  the  country  had  been  the  theatre  of  exciting 
warfare.  The  demoralizing  influences  of  camp  life  had  been 
experienced  to  the  full.  The  Revolution  through  which  the  peo- 
ple had  passed  had  broken  the  prestige  of  ancient  institutions. 
The  intoxication  of  success  had  drowned  serious  thoughts  of 
eternal  things.  The  French  allies  had  brought  along  with  their 
friendship  and  aid  the  frivolity  and  unbelief  which  characterized 
the  French  mind  at  that  period.  The  religious  life  of  the  people 
was  at  so  low  an  ebb  that  they  were  ready  to  contract  any  and 
every  contagion  of  error.  French  deism,  witty,  sentimental,  bril- 
liant, revolutionary,  chanced  to  be  the  ruling  epidemic  of  the 
Christian  world,  and  America  did  not  escape. 

Three  men  stand  out  in  history  as  the  hierophants  of  this  new 
gospel  in  America.  Two  of  them  were  of  English  birth  and  edu- 
cation, one  only  of  American.  Singularly  enough  they  all  had 
the  same  Christian  name,  and  that  the  name  of  the  skeptical  apos- 
tle. The  three  men  were  Thomas  Jefferson,  Thomas  Cooper,  and 
Thomas  Paine.  These  three  doubting  Thomases  were  born  dem- 
ocrats and  social  revolutionists.  Their  opposition  to  the  Church 
was  largely  a  result  of  their  iconoclastic  natures.  The  first  was 
the  political,  the  second  the  scientific,  the  third  the  social  repre- 
sentative of  the  contemporary  antichristian  movement.  The  first 
was  influential  by  virtue  of  his  political  station  as  President  of 
the  Republic,  the  second  by  reason  of  his  office  as  educator,  the 
third  in  consequence  of  his  early  and  ardent  advocacy  of  the  cause 
of  American  Independence.  On  one  occasion,  Jefferson  sent  a 
government  vessel  to  France  to  convey  .Mr.  Paine  to  this  country 
as  the  nation's  guest,  Favored  with  bucIi  an  historical  prepara- 
tion, so  related  to  the  national  sentiments,  so  adapted  to  the  na- 
tional aspirations,  so  sanctioned  and  advocated  by  popular  favor- 
ites, it  is  little  wonder  that  the  gospel  of  the  "Age  of  Res 
became  a  greal  popular  power  among  the  American  people  daring 
the  last  two  decades  of  the  closing  century.  Its  powerful 
was  lirst  but  effectually  broken  by  the  wide  spread  and  sweeping 

revivals  of  1S01   to  1S(i:5. 


386  PRESBYTERIANISJJ  IN  THE 

The  variety  in  intelligent  estimates  of  the  numbers 
of  the  Iroquois  exists  at  the  present  day.  Governor 
Seymour  has  taken  a  deep  interest  in  the  people,  and 
is  probably  as  well  informed  about  them  as  any  person 
in  the  country;  and,  in  private  conversation,  he  ex- 
presses the  opinion  that  at  least  from  three  to  four 
thousand  of  them  must  be  living  in  Central  and  West- 
ern New  York,  and  furthermore  that  they  have  not 
diminished,  but  rather  increased  since  the  Revolution. 
Another  authority  fixes  their  present  number  at  pre- 
cisely 5,03i,  and  their  increase  last  year  at  seventy-nine. 

In  his  introduction  to  an  edition  of  President  Davies7 
Sermons,  Mr.  Barnes  remarks:  "The  times  demand  of 
the  ministry  a  close,  and  patient,  and  honest  investiga- 
tion of  the  Bible."  ''The  truths  which  the  ministry  is 
to  present  are  to  be  derived  from  the  Word  of  God. 
They  are  not  the  truths  of  mental  philosophy  ;  they 
are  not  the  theories  furnished  by  a  fertile  imagination  ; 
they  are  not  the  opinions  held  by  men ;  they  are  not 
systems  embodied  merely  in  creeds  and  symbols;  they 
are  the  ever  fresh  and  everlasting  truths  of  the  Bible." 
"  It  seems  to  me  that  as  yet  we  know  comparatively 
little  of  the  power  of  preaching  the  truths  of  the  Bi- 
ble. That  man  has  gained  much  as  a  preacher  who  is 
willing  to  investigate,  by  honest  rules,  the  meaning  of 
the  Bible,  and  then  to  suffer' the  truth  of  God  to  speak 
out,  no  matter  where  if  leads,  and  no  matter  on  what 
man,  or  customs,  or  systems  it  impinges."  -'There  is 
a  power  yet  to  be  seen  in  preaching  the  Bible  which 
the  world  has  not  yet  fully  understood,  and  he  dees  an 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  387 

incalculable  service  to  his  own  times  and  to  the  world 
who  derives  the  truths  which  he  preaches  directly  from 
the  Book  of  Life." 

The  conviction  and  prediction  of  Mr.  Barnes  are  now 
having  a  remarkable  confirmation  and  fulfillment.  An 
unlearned  layman  has  been  raised  up  to  verify  them,  and 
to  furnish  an  example  to  learned  ministers  of  the  spirit 
and  matter  of  effective  preaching.  Undistractedly  intent 
on  the  salvation  and  sanctihcation  of  his  hearers,  Mr. 
Moody  studies  and  delivers  nothing  but  Holy  Writ,  and 
the  result  is  seen  in  the  throngs  that  go  out  to  hear 
him  and  in  the  multitudes  who  are  converted  and  im- 
proved under  him. 

The  real  intent  of  a  preacher  is  as  really  concerned 
in  its  result  as  its  matter.  If  his  mind  is  set  on  the 
preparation  of  a  "good''  sermon  and  its  "fine"  deliv- 
ery, he  may  satisfy  himself  and  win  the  admiration  of 
his  hearers, — but  as  little  spiritual  impression  is  sought, 
but  little  is  likely  to  be  made.  Not  a  few  come  down 
from  the  pulpit  to  hear  how  well  they  have  done,  and 
not  what  good  they  have  done.  They  substitute  the 
credil  they  may  getfor  the  benefit  they  may  confer.  Or 
if  vanity  be  not  the  actuating  motive,  the  sermon  is 
prepared  and  delivered  like  a  popular  lecture,  to  enter- 
tain a  congregation  and  exert  a  happy  iniluence  upon 
it.  li  is  not  meant  and  expected  to  be  the  impulse  to 
any  immediate  act  It  is  an  essay  or  oration,  rather 
than  a  plea 

While  the  righl  belongs  to  each  Session  to  determine 
what,  applicants  shall  be  admitted  to  the  Church,  and  it 
must  be  left  to  exercise  it  freely,  there  is  a  solemn  re- 
sponsibility resting  upon  it.     Its  prerogative  must  be 


3S8  PliESIiYTEBIANJSM  IN  THE 

exercised  under  the  general  precept  and  rule  that  it  is 
its  part  to  receive  those  alone  who  on  examination  ex- 
hibit "  knowledge  and  piety."  The  Lord's  Supper  is  a 
sealing  ordinance  and  a  means  of  grace  to  penitent  be- 
lievers, but  not  a  converting  ordinance  even  to  the 
thoughtful  and  inquiring.  Its  only  fitness  is  to  those 
who  have  already  turned  to  the  Saviour.  Kemiss- 
ness  and  laxness  in  receiving  to  it,  make  an  accession  to 
the  church  its  burthening  and  hampering  and  weak- 
ening. The  larger  its  roll  the  less  its  strength.  Spir- 
ituality is  the  only  real  addition  to  it. 

Urging  into  the  church,  or  even  advising  a  connec- 
tion with  it,  is  a  perilous  liberty.  Every  individual 
must  take  the  responsibility  of  deciding  this  on  his 
own  motion,  the  only  legitimate  help  in  it  being  the 
giving  of  information  in  regard  to  the  general  princi- 
ples that  ought  to  determine  it.  How  sad  is  the  expe- 
rience of  the  many  who  were  pressed  into  the  church, 
and  afterwards  bitterly  repent  it. 


HISTORIES   OF   EARLY   CHURCHES. 

A  collection  of  the  histories  of  the  several  churches 
•of  the  Synod  would  be  a  pleasant  task,  though  it  could 
not  but  swell  to  a  very  large  bulk.  It  is  forbidden  by 
the  narrow  limits  of  this  sketch.  The  most  that  can  be 
noticed  are  those  that  were  connected  with  the  Oneida 
Presbytery  at  its  formation  in  1802,  together  with  a 
few  cotemporaneous  with  them  that  subsequently  united 
with  the  Presbytery.  The  original  churches  of  the 
Presbytery  were  YVhitesboro  and  Utica,  New  Hartford, 
Trenton,  Cherry  Valley,  Cooperstown,  and  Springfield. 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  389 

Some  of  these,  Whitesboro  and  Utica,  New  Hartford 
and  Trenton,  together  with  Clinton,  Paris,  Eome,  Cazeno- 
via,  Marcellus,  Pompey  and  Redfield,  have  already 
been  sufficiently  described.  It  may  be  noted  here, 
however,  that  Utica  (then  Fort  Schuyler)  and  Whites- 
boro formed  the  one  Church  of  Whitestown.  The 
Church  in  Utica  is  not  derived  from  the  Church  in 
Whitesboro,  but  is,  with  it,  the  transmission  of  the 
original  church.  The  stream  forked,  and  ran  in  two 
branches,  and  each,  equally  with  the  other,  traces  back 
its  starting  to  August  21, 179-1.  When  they  separated, 
it  was  from  a  division  of  the  one  body  they  had  formed, 
and  both  are  continuations  of  it,  and  neither  merely  a 
derivation  from  it.  So  the  language  of  the  Presbytery 
declares  when  it  put  them  apart : 

"  Feb.  3,  1813. — A  request  was  laid  before  Presbytery  that  the 
church  of  Whitestown  and  Utica  be  divided  and  constituted  two 
churches,  and  that  of  the  present  session,  David  Thurston  and 
Joseph  Blake  be  Ruling  Elders  of  the  Church  at  Whitesboro,  and 
Ebenezer  Dodd,  David  Dixon,  William  Williams  and  Nathanael 
Butler  be  Ruling  Elders  of  the  Church  at  Utica.  Being  satisfied 
with  the  reasons  on  which  the  request  was  founded,  and  having 
sulficient  evidence  that  it  was  the  desire  of  the  Church, 

Resolved,  That  the  request  be  granted,  and  that  David  Thurs- 
ton and  Joseph  Blake,  Elders,  with  the  members  belonging  to  the 
Church  at  Whitesboro,  be  constituted  a  Church,  and  that  Ebeneser 
Dodd,  David  Dixon,  Nuthunacl  Butler  and  William  Williams, 
Elders,  with  the  members  of  the  Church  belonging  to  the  societj 
at  I'tica,  be  constituted  a  Church." 

The  act  was  not  the  formation  of  a  new  Church 
out  of  the  old  Church,  for  in  thai  case  the  Session  of 
the  old  Church  would  have  granted  letters  of  dismis- 
sion for  tin'  formation  of  a  aewchurch;  bul  it  was  the 
makinsc  of  two  churches  out   of  one,  and   1  »*  »t  li  of  tho 


390  riiESBYTEMANISM  IN  THE 

two  churches  are  equally  the  continuation  of  the  one 
Church. 


Though  Cherry  Valley  can  be  called  the  parent 
of  our  churches  only  by  a  figure  of  speech,  born  in 
1741,  it  antedates  the  oldest  of  them  nearly  half  a  cen- 
tury. Its  only  progeny  settled  immediately  about  it 
and  were  of  Scotch-Irish  blood,  while  the  great  mass 
of  our  churches  sprang  forth  independently  of  it  and 
were  of  American  extraction.  Indeed,  for  nearl}r  forty 
years  there  was  but  little  multiplication  of  the  English 
speaking  inhabitants  of  this  region,  and  wThenit  began, 
skipping  over  the  interval,  it  started  in  our  southern 
borders,  and  as  far  west  as  Whitesboro.  While  Cherry 
Valley  is  the  first  of  our  churches,  its  history  is  the 
most  remarkable.  It  has  found  a  fit  annalist  in  its 
present  pastor,  Rev.  II.  N.  Swinnerton,  and  I  draw 
freely  from  his  "  Historical  Account,"  and  from  "The 
Annals  of  Tryon  Count}',"  by  Judge  'William  W. 
Campbell,  one  of  its  members.  In  1738,  George  Clark, 
Lieut,  Governor  of  the  province  of  New  York,  granted 
a  patent  of  8,000  acres  of  land,  covering  the  site  of  the 
town,  to  four  proprietors,  one  of  whom,  John  Lindesay, 
a  Scotch  gentleman,  bought  out  his  associates  and  went 
to  settle  upon  it.  While  in  New  York,  preparing 
for  the  removal  of  his  family,  he  formed  a  friendship 
with  Rev.  Samuel  Dunlap,  a  young  Presbyterian  cler- 
gyman of  Irish  birth,  but  educated  at  Edinburgh,  who 
had  traveled  over  the  South,  and  was  arranging  for  a 
tour  through  the  North.  He  persuaded  him  to  join  in 
colonizing  the  land,  and  while  he  went  with  his  family 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  391 

to  make  their  home  upon  it,  Mr.  Dunlap  went  to  Lon- 
donclery,  N.  H.,  to  persuade  some  of  the  Scotch-Irish, 
who  in  1718  had  immigrated  there,  to  accompany  him 
to  it.  Meanwhile,  Mr.  Lindesay  and  his  family  nar- 
rowly escaped  starvation.  No  white  inhabitants  lived 
nearer  to  them  than  the  Schoharie  Creek,  where  some 
Germans  made  an  abode  in  1713.  Ignorant  of  our 
winters,  Mr.  Lindesay  brought  on  scanty  supplies,  and 
at  the  point  of  their  exhaustion  he  found  himself  and 
his  family  in  impassable  snow.  Just  then  a  friendly 
Indian  came  along,  and  by  repeated  visits  on  snow 
shoes  to  the  Mohawk,  he  kept  them  in  stores  until 
the  opening  spring  raised  their  blockade.  In  due  time, 
Mr.  Dunlap  and  his  party  arrived,  and  distributing' 
themselves  about  on  the  farms  they  selected,  they 
became  the  fathers  of  the  place,  Mr.  Lindesay  retreating 
from  the  rigors  of  the  climate  and  the  roughnesses  of 
pioneer  life.  A  house  of  worship  was  a  necessity  with 
such  people,  and  one  of  logs,  used  also  as  a  school  roomr 
was  immediately  put  up,  the  first,  it  may  be  remarked, 
of  a  series  of  five,  the  second  being  used  likewise  as  a 
fort,  and  the  third  an  erection  of  the  returned  fugitives 
from  the  world-wide  known  "  massacre,"  and  like  them- 
selves stripped  of  furniture  and  totally  bare,  and  the 
fourth  a  frame  building,  sufficiently  pretty  for  a  model. 
and  actually  performing  the  graceful  and  valuable  pan 
of  spreading  a  tasteful  ecclesiastical  architecture.     The 

fifth,  now   Standing,    and    solid    enough    for  all  coming 

generations,  lias  three  varieties  of  stone  in  the  com] 

tion  i>{  its  walls,  and  an  interior  finish  of  solid  walnut, 
and  while  plain  and  substantial,  i-  of  both  a  cheerful 
and  dignified  air.     Its  distinction,  however,  Is  tin-  fact 


392  PRESB  YTERIANISM  IN  THE 

that  it  is  a  gift  to  the  congregation  by  a  female  commu- 
nicant, in  recognition  of  "  the  connection  of  her  family 
with  the  town  from  its  early  settlement  and  with  the 
church  for  four  generations,  and  as  a  memorial  to  her 
beloved  parents  and  dear  sister." 

Composed  of  eight  families  in  1752,  by  1765  the 
colony  consisted  of  forty.  The  French  and  Indian 
wars  kept  them  perpetually  exposed  to  inroads  and 
slaughter,  and  at  the  same  time  trained  them  to  arms. 
Then  followed  the  Revolutionary  struggle.  No  pro- 
phetic ken  was  needed  to  foreknow  the  side  the  Scotch- 
Irish  of  Cherry  Valley  would  take.  Presbyterian  te- 
nacity of  principle  and  devotion  to  liberty,  combined 
with  ancestral  memories,  committed  and  held  them  to 
the  cause  of  the  people.  They  were  the  sons  of  those 
Scotchmen  who,  at  the  earnest  entreaty  of  the  Stuarts. 
and  with  the  most  solemn  promises  of  religious  and 
civil  prerogatives  and  privileges,  went  over  to  the  north 
of  Ireland  to  bring  into  bearing  that  then  fertile  waste, 
and  who,  when  the  tillage  was  done  and  rich  harvests 
waved,  were  so  restrained  and  robbed  that  many  of 
them  fled  to  this  countiy,  preferring  the  wilds  of 
America,  with  freedom  of  conscience  and  civil  liberty, 
to  the  culture  of  the  beautiful  Green  Isle.  The  tyr- 
anny of  the  British  king,  so  graphically  described  in 
our  Declaration  of  Independence,  awakened  in  Cherry 
Valley  the  spirit  of  beseiged  Londonderry  and  of  the 
battle  of  the  Boyne,  and  the  signal  from  Lexington  and 
Concord  called  every  inhabitant  to  arms.  Its  church 
was  the  place  of  meeting  of  a  county  committee  of  the 
patriots,  May,  1775,  which  declared  "  our  fixed  attach- 
ment and  entire  approbation  cf  the  proceedings  of  the 


8TN0D  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  393 

grand  Continental  Congress  held  at  Philadelphia  last 
fall,  and  that  we  will  strictly  adhere  to  and  repose  our 
confidence  in  the  wisdom  and  integrity  of  the  present 
Continental  Congress,  and  that  we  will  support  the 
same  to  the  extent  of  our  power,  and  that  we  will  re- 
ligiously and  inviolably  observe  the  regulations  of  that 
august  body."  They  obeyed  the  call  of  Gen.  Herki- 
mer to  fly  to  the  relief  of  Fort  Stanwix.  but  being  at 
the  eastern  extremity  of  the  country,  their  company 
could  not  reach  Oriskany  in  time  for  the  battle.  Two 
of  their  number,  however,  a  Major  and  Lieutenant 
Colonel,  participated  in  it,  the  latter  of  whom  led  off 
the  field  the  regiment  of  Col.  Cox,  who  was  killed 
The  leading  men  of  the  place  were  engaged  in  various 
parts  of  the  land.  "  No  less  than  thirty-three  have 
turned  out  for  immediate  service  and  the  good  of  their 
country,"  the  whole  population  being  less  than  three 
hundred,  was  the  statement  in  a  petition  to  the  Provincial 
Congress,  asking  needful  protection.  One  of  the  In- 
dian paths  from  Windsor,  Broome  county,  to  the  Mo- 
hawk, passed  through  Cherry  Valley,  and  so  kept  the 
inhabitants  in  apprehension  of  incursions  from  them. 
Early  in  the  Bummer  of  L776,  signs  appeared  of  their 
coming,  and  a  company  of  rangers  was  ordered  to  the 
place.  Those  of  the  people  who  had  held  military 
commissions,  or  had  passed  the  age  formilitary  service-. 
formed  themselves  into  a  military  corps,  and  as  scalping 
parti*  prowling  about,  the  farmers  went  to  the 

fields  in  squads,  some  Btanding  guard  while  others  en* 

•I  in  work.  The  house  of  CoL  Samuel  Camp- 
bell, the  largesl  in  the  place,  and  situated  on  elevated 

nd,  was  turned  into  a  fortification,  and  the  p 


394  PRESDYTEEIAN1SM  IN  THE 

gathered  in  it,  bringing  with  them  the  most  valuable  of 
their  goods,  and  there  they  remained  during  the  most 
of  the  summer,  and  then  returned  to  their  homes.  A 
regular  fort  was  subsequently  built  by  the  order  of 
Gen.  La  Fayette,  and  manned  by  a  Continental  regi- 
ment, made  up  of  eastern  soldiers,  but  little  trained  in 
Indian  warfare.  After  the  massacre  at  Wyoming,  in 
July,  1778,  warning  was  given  of  a  contemplated  de 
scent  on  Cherry  Valley,  but  the  inexperienced,  yet 
brave  commander,  failed  to  give  suitable  heed  to  it,  and 
refused  the  request  of  the  people  to  be  permitted  to 
take  shelter  in  the  fort,  or  to  deposit  their  valuables 
there,  and  he  himself  quartered  outside  at  the  house  of 
M  r.  Kobert  Wells.  On  the  morning  of  November  11th, 
the  savages  swooped  down  from  a  hill  top,  in  the  ever- 
greens of  which  they  had  lain  concealed,  and  struck 
their  talons  into  the  ill-fated  community.  They  con- 
sisted largely  of  the  Senecas,  then  the  most  ferocious 
of  the  Iroquois,  and  were  attended  by  still  more  brutal 
tories.  One  party  rushed  into  the  house  of  Mr.  Wells 
and  murdered  every  inmate, — Mr.  Wells,  his  mother, 
wife,  four  children,  brother,  sister  and  three  servants, 
and  but  one  of  the  family  escaped, — John  Wells,  a 
youth  at  the  time,  who  had  been  left  the  previous  sum- 
mer with  an  aunt  at  Schenectady  to  attend  a  grammar 
school  there,  and  who  subsequently  became  one  of  the 
most  eminent  lawyers  of  the  land.  A  tory  boasted  that 
he  killed  Mr.  Wells  while  at  prayer.  Pursuing  his 
sister  Jane  to  a  wood  pile,  where  she  fled  for  safety, 
and  in  spite  of  her  supplications  in  his  language  which 
she  understood,  and  in  spite  of  the  entreaties  of  an  in- 
terceding tory,  a  savage,  with  a  single  blow  of  his  torn* 


SYXOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YOIiK.  395 

ahawk,  smote  her  to  death.  The  commander  started 
for  the  fort,  and  refusing  to  surrender,  and  snapping  a 
wet  pistol  at  his  pursuer,  a  tomahawk  aimed  at  his  head 
fatally  struck  it,  and  the  scalping  knife  followed. 
Similar  scenes  were  enacted  at  other  houses,  and  indi- 
vidual barbarities  perpetrated,  the  thought  of  which 
horrifies  and  sickens  the  soul.  Thirty-two,  principally 
women  and  children,  were  slain  with  all  the  horn  irs 
that  demons  could  enact,  and  the  terribleness  of  the 
scene  was  intensified  by  the  fierce  flames  that  burnt  up 
every  house  and  outhouse.  A  few  escaped  to  the  Mi  >- 
hawk,  but  between  thirty  and  forty  of  the  others  who 
survived  were  carried  away  prisoners.  Divided  into 
small  companies,  they  were  placed  in  charge  of  differ- 
ent parties,  and  so  commenced  their  journey  for  what 
parts  they  knew  not  and  could  not  surmise.  The  first 
day  Mrs.  Cannon,  an  aged  and  infirm  matron,  gave  out 
and  was  killed  at  the  side  of  her  daughter,  wdio  was 
driven  along  with  the  bloody  hatchet  bathed  in  her 
mother's  blood,  and  to  whom  three  children  clung,  and 
in  whose  arms  a  fourth,  eighteen  months  old,  lay.  On 
the  second  day,  the  rest  of  the  women  and  children 
were  sent  back,  but  Mrs.  Campbell  and  Mrs.  Moore  and 
their  children  were  taken  between  two  and  three  hun- 
dred miles  t"  near  the  site  of  the  present  village 
Geneva,  and  here  their  children  were  torn  from  them 
and  given  to  different  Indians,  and  scattered  through 
Canada.  When  recovered  years  after,  they  had  forgot- 
ten their  mothers,  and  their  mothers1  tongue,  and 
learned  the  language,  habits  and  tastes  of  their  Bavage 
keepers. 

The  venerable  pastor  of  the  church  with  one  of  his 
daughters,  was  permitted  to  live  through  the  interposi- 


396  PHESB  YTER1AMSM  IX  THE 

tion  of  a  Mohawk,  bat  his  wife  was  murdered,  and  her 
mangled  arm,  torn  from  her  body,  was  tossed  into  an 
apple  tree,  which  stood  long  after  as  the  monument  of 
the  fiendish  deed.  His  house  was  razed  to  the  ground 
and  his  library  scattered  and  himself  carried  away  as  a 
prisoner.  Eeleased  in  a  few  days,  he  made  his  way  to 
New  York,  and  about  a  year  after  sank  under  his  suf- 
ferings and  laid  down  in  the  grave. 

One  of  his  parishioners  having  gone  into  the  fields, 
saw  a  party  of  Indians  and  tories  approaching  his  house, 
but  did  not  dare  to  go  back.  Secreting  himself  in  the 
woods  until  they  left,  he  returned  to  his  house  which  had 
been  plundered  and  set  on  fire,  and  there  he  beheld  the 
corpses  of  his  wife  and  four  children.  One  of  his 
children,  a  little  girl  of  ten  or  twelve  years  of  age, 
showed  signs  of  life,  and  while  lifting  her  up,  he  saw 
another  party  approach,  and  had  barely  time  to  hide 
himself  behind  a  log  fence,  when  they  entered  in,  and 
he  saw  an  infamous  tory  lift  his  hatchet  and  butcher 
the  child. 

A  reinforcement  came  the  day  after  the  massacre,  but 
instead  of  defending  the  living,  it  only  remained  to 
them  to  bury  the  dead.  The  inhabitants  were  exter- 
minated and  their  homes  burned  up.  The  little  church 
in  the  fort  survived  the  otherwise  universal  ruin  for 
two  or  three  years,  and  then  a  party  of  marauders  gave 
it,  too,  to  the  flames. ' 

For  seven  years  the  place  remained  a  desolation,  and 
without  a  human  denizen.  In  1784-5  the  old  inhabit- 
ants began  to  return,  and  soon  after  a  meeting  was 
called  to  reorganize  the  society  But  no  Mr.  Dunlop 
came  back.     It  took  until  1790  to  erect  another  house 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK. 

of  worship,  and  that  stood  in  the  barest  plight,  and 
only  now  and  then,  as  some  passing  preacher  stopped, 
did  it  echo  a  ministers  voice.  Mr.  Solomon  Spaulding, 
who  amused  himself  by  the  writing  of  a  fiction  which, 
with  no  thought  of  the  kind  on  his  part,  was  adopted 
as  the  Mormon  bible,  occasionally  filled  the  pulpit,  but 
no  regular  services  were  held  until  Rev.  Eliphalet  Nott, 
afterwards  the  distinguished  President  of  Union  Col- 
lege, established  them  in  1795.  In  1798,  he  was  called 
to  Albany,  and  the  church  was  again  left  to  casual 
supplies  until  1802,  when  they  were  statedly  enjoyed 
for  a  year,  and  also  again  in  1800,  and  still  again  in 
1810,  and  then  Rev.  Eli  F.  Cooley  entered  on  the  charge 
and  remained  in  it  for  ten  years;  and  up  to  1876, 
twenty-two  pastors  and  stated  supplies  have  served  the 
church.  The  previous  pages  of  this  sketch  record  the 
frequent  showers  of  the  Spirit  that  have  fallen  upon 
Cherry  Yalley,  some  of  them  of  great  copiousness,  and 
that  made  it  a  "well  watered  garden.'' 

In  1702,  five  families  took  uplands  at  Springfield. 
They  Bhared  the  previous  experience  of  their  near 
neighbors  at  Cherry  Valley,  and  also  the  massacre  and 
burning  of  177^.  They  senl  soldiers  from  their  hand- 
ful of  men  t<>  the  ranks  of  the  gallant  Herkimer  and 
to  the  field  of  Oriskany.  The  news  of  the  fall  there  of 
I  'apt  Thomas  Davy,  one  of  the  number,  was  annou 
io  his  bereaved  wife  by  the  whinneying,  as  he  galloped 
riderless  home,  <-f  the  noble  white  charger  he  rode. 
Slain  or  captured  or  driven  away  by  the  same  part;. 
savages  and  tories  that  soon  after  fell  upon  Cherry  Val- 
ley, their    h«>nies    were    fired    and    their   hamlet  made  a 


398  PRESB  Y  TERIANISM  IN  THE 

solitude  and  ruin.  In  1785,  the  exiles  came  back  and 
reconstructed  their  homes,  and,  included  with  the  in- 
habitants of  Cherry  Valley  as  citizens  of  that  named 
town,  they  cooperated  with  them  in  the  reorganization 
of  the  broken  up  church  at  that  centre.  The  Baptists, 
in  1787,  and  within  three  years  of  the  rehabilitation  of 
the  people  in  Springfield,  formed  the  first  religious 
society  there.  In  1796,  our  church  came  feebly  into 
being,  and  passed  its  infancy  and  early  childhood  with- 
out a  pastor's  nursing  and  care.  Mention  has  been 
made  of  the  revival  there  in  1801.*  under  the  labors  of 
Rev.  Jedediah  Bushnell  and  the  minutes  of  Oneida 
Presbytery,  Sept,  7,  1802,  recount :  "  The  Presbyte- 
rian congregation  at  Springfield  requested  liberty  to 
make  out  a  call  for  the  Rev.  Jedediah  Bushnell,  a 
missionary  from  Connecticut,  and  that  Mr.  Lewis  (then 
of  Cooperstown)  moderate  the  call.  The  Presbytery 
grarited  their  request.''  Mr.  Bushnell,  however,  felt 
constrained  to  decline.  It  had  previously,  in  1797, 
sought  to  divide  Mr.  Xott's  labors  with  Cherry  Yalley, 
but  the  people  there  could  not  spare  the  young  minister 
for  any  portion  of  his  time.  In  1804,  a  call  was  pre- 
sented to  Rev.  Daniel  Crane,  of  Cranetown,  Newark, 

*  The  blessing  a  revival  is,  may  often  be  learned  from  the  sub- 
sequent godliness  and  usefuluess  of  some  individuals  among  its 
subjects,  So  it  is  in  this  instance.  Elder  John  M.  Killip  was 
converted  then,  "  a  pillar  in  the  church,"  holding  it  up  in  its  days 
of  feebleness  and  adversity,  and  a  support  on  which  it  leaned  in 
prosperity;  and  who,  when  the  infirmities  of  age  shattered  him, 
still  kept  his  place  and  fulfilled  his  part.  lie  was  active  in  the 
organization  of  the  church,  and  for  well-nigh  forty  years  was  its 
mainstay.  The  community  likewise  depended  upon  him,  and  for 
twenty  years  in  succession  held  on  to  him  as  a  Supervisor. 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  399 

N.  J.,  but  refused.  In  1806,  Rev.  Andrew  Oliver,  the 
first  pastor,  was  installed,  and  remained  for  nearly  thir- 
teen years.  A  remonstrance  against,  his  call  was  pre- 
sented to  the  Presbytery  and  dismissed,  it  appearing 
that  seventeen  of  the  signers  had  contributed  nothing 
to  the  support  of  the  church,  and  that  Mr.  Oliver  was 
chargeable  "  with  no  errors  in  practice  or  faith,''  and 
that  "  the  remonstrance  was  founded  on  a  misunder- 
standing which  has  unhappily  taken  place  between  Mr 
Oliver  and  a  part  of  the  societ}^.''  A  remonstrance 
against  Mr.  Oliver's  installation  was  likewise  presented, 
and  the  Presbytery  unanimously  concluded  not  to  place 
him  in  the  charge  just  then,  ';  as  it  appears  that  there  is 
ground  to  doubt  the  validity  of  the  corporation  of  the 
society,  and  Presbytery  believes  that  this  circumstance, 
if  true,  would  render  null  and  void  the  obligation  given 
to  the  trustees,  contained  in  the  subscription  for  the 
support  of  Mr.  Oliver.''  Nine  months  after,  the  call 
was  renewed  and  Mr.  Oliver  installed  ;  but  a  secession 
followed  which  organized  a  Congregational  Church  of 
twenty-four  members.  It  began  to  build,  but  was  not  able 
to  finish  a  bouse  of  worship,  and  never  had  but  <>ne  set- 
tled minister,  and  was  finally  dissolved  in  1813.  Dur- 
ing its  first  days  an  unhappy  controversy  was  kept  up 
with  the  Presbyterian  Church,  and  the  offices  <>f  the 
Presbytery  were  invoked  t<>  determine  where  the  fault 
lay,  and  if  possible  t<>  correcl  it  ;  but  a  child  of  dissen- 
sion, tli>'  church  refused  conciliatory  proposals,   and 

would  not  submit  to  a  mutual  Council  which  was  pro- 
posed, and  finally  the  matter  was  referred  for  adjudica- 
tion n»  the  Northern  Associated  Presbytery.  After 
the  retirement  of  Mi'.  Oliver,  in  L819,  our  church  ap- 


400  rRESB  YTERIANISM  IN  THE 

plied  to  the  church  of  Cherry  Valley  to  be  permitted 
to  divide  with  it  the  services  and  the  support  of  its 
pastor,  Rev.  Eli  K  Coolej- ;  but  denied  this,  they  were 
favored  by  the  coming  of  Rev.  Aaron  Putnam,  under 
whom  "  the  great  revival  of  1821,"  began,  and  under  the 
preaching  of  casual  visitors  was  brought  to  its  large 
proportions.  It  continued  for  a  year,  one  hundred  and 
sixteen  being  added  to  the  church  at  three  successive 
communion  seasons,  and  sixty-two  at  one  of  these ; 
and  the  influence  of  it  on  the  spiritual  interests  of  the 
church  and  the  morals  of  the  community  has  never 
died  out.  Four  ruling  elders  were  among  its  subjects, 
and  one  minister  of  the  gospel.  Successors  to  it  were 
graciously  sent  in  1S3 1-2,  1833,  1852,  1866,  and  es- 
pecially in  1S75.  Twelve  pastors  and  stated  supplies 
have  "spoken  the  Gospel  of  God''  to  the  church,  the 
Rev.  P.  F.  Sanborne,  the  present  incumbent,  having 
been  set  over  it  in  1869. 


The  Presbyterian  Society  of  Cooperstowx  was  or- 
ganized on  the  29th  of  December,  1798,  and  the  Church 
( >n  the  16th  of  June,  1 800.  Religious  services  must  have 
been  of  irregular  occurrence  for  several  of  the  first  years  of 
the  settlement  of  the  place,  but  no  record  of  them  remains 
save  a  mention  of  the  preaching  of  a  Thanksgiving 
sermon,  November  26,  1795,  by  Rev.  Elisha  Mosely. 
In  L799,  Rev.  John  Frederic  Ernst,  a  Lutheran  clergy- 
man and  a  native  of  Germany,  w as  engaged  to  officiate. 
the  hope  being  indulged  that  the  village  would  thus 
realize  the  benefit  of  a  bequest  for  educational  objects 
by  Rev.  Mr.  Hartwick.     This  hope  was  disappointed. 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  401 

however,  and  Mr.  Ernst  remained  "but  two  or  three 
years.  Oct.  1.  1800,  the  Rev.  Isaac  Lewis  was  installed 
pastor  of  the  church,  in  which  he  remained  until  1S08. 
and  then  removed  to  take  charge  oi  the  church  at 
ten,  Orange  county,  X.  Y.  Mr.  Lewis"  pulpit  for 
the  five  years  of  his  pastorate  was  in  the  Academy, 
where  Mr.  Ernst  also  had   preached.     ]  Rev. 

William  Neill  followed  Mr.  Lewis,  and  left  for  Albany 
in  1809.      February  7,  1811,  the  Rev.  John  Smith 
invited  to  the  care  of  the  church,  and  held  it  until 
L833.     The   dismission  of   Mr.  Smith  occasioned   the 
forming  of  a  second  Presbyterian  congregation,  which 
was  dissolved  and  its  members  returned  to  their  former 
connection  on  the   installation,  in   183*;,  of  Rev.  A.  E. 
i      ipbell.     The  first  church  edifice  was  built  in  l£ 
and   thirty  years  after  it  was  remodeled  and  enla: 
and  converted  into  a  commodious  and  handsoi 
tuary." 

*  Former  days  were  not  better  than  these.  The  minutes  of  the 
_■>  Presbytery  contain  no  entry  like  the  following  in  themin- 
•  :'  the  Oneida  Presbytery,  Feb 

"  Whereas,  there  appear  to  be  very  great  deficiencies  in  salary 
due  from  the  congregation!  of  Springfield  an  1  Middlefield,  the 
Presbytery  expressed  their  regret  at  finding  so  greal  omission  of 
duty  in  affording  a  support  to  the  gospel  among  them,  and  did 
earnestly  call  on  these  congregations  to  attend  strictly  to  this  im- 
portant concern,  and  endeavor  immediately  to  make  ap  urn  bj 
in  salary,  which  if  not  speedily  discharged  must  eventually 
sion  an  insupportable  burden  t<>  tb<  ation  and  issue  in  a 

deprivation  <>f  the  rich  and   inestimable   privileges  of  a  regular 
and  full  administration  of  the  ordinances  of  tl  lered, 

that  a  Copy  <>f  the  above   minute    : 
Springfield  and  Middlefield.1 


402  PRESBYTEPdAXISM  IN  THE 

Little  Falls  was  one  of  the  original  churches  of 
the  Presbytery  of  Oneida,  and  probably  feeble.  Fre- 
quent appointments  were  made  to  supply  it,  but  the 
nursing  failed  to  keep  it  alive,  for  the  minutes  of  the 
Presbytery,  Feb.  2,  1813,  relate:  "Mr.  Samuel Taleott, 
(this  gentleman  left  a  legacy  to  the  society)  a  commis- 
sioner from  the  church  of  Little  Falls,  appeared  and  ap- 
plied, on  behalf  of  the  same,  that  it  be  taken  under  the 
care  of  the  Presbytery ;  and  sufficient  evidence  being 
exhibited  that  the  Presbyterian  congregation  formerly 
existing  at  the  above  place  had  become  extinct,  and 
that  a  new  congregation  had  been  formed  which  had 
adopted  the  Confession  of  Faith  and  Form  of  Govern- 
ment of  the  Presbyterian  Church  :  therefore,  resolved, 
that  the  above  application  be  granted,  and  that  Mr 
Taleott  take  his  seat  in  Presbytery/'  At  the  same 
meeting  of  the  Presbytery,  Eev.  James  Joice  was  ad- 
mitted to  its  membership,  and,  although  no  record  of  it 
appears,  must  have  been  put  in  charge  of  the  church,, 
for  February,  1814,  he  applied  for  a  release,  which  was 
refused  at  that  time,  but  granted  the  following  June. 
February  29,  1817,  Eev.  Hezekiah  K  Woodruff  was 
received  to  the  Presbytery  of  Oneida  from  the  Presby- 
tery of  Geneva,  and  immediately  after,  "Mr.  Daniel 
Morse,  a  commissioner  from  the  congregation  of  Her- 
kimer, and  Mr.  Thomas  Smith,  a  commissioner  from 
the  congregation  of  Little  Falls,  laid  before  Presbytery 
a  call  for  the  ministerial  labors  of  Rev.  Hezekiah  N. 
Woodruff,  to  preach  one-half  the  time  in  the  village  of 
Berkimer  and  the  other  half  in  the  village  of  Little 
Falls,  on  each  Sabbath  alternately,  which  was  read,  and 
being  found  in  order,  was   put  into  the  hands  of  Mr. 


SYXOD  OF  CENTRAL  HEW  YORK. 

Woodruff.*'  That  gentleman  declared  bis  acceptance  <  >f 
it.  and  on  the  same  day  he  was  set  over  the  church. — 
Rev.  Calvin  Bushncll  offering  the  introductory  prayer' 
the  Rev.  Noah  Cue  preaching  the  sermon  and  deliver- 
ing the  charge  to  the  people,  and  Rev.  John  Frost  giv- 
ing the  charge  to  the  bishop  and  offering  the  conclud- 
ing prayer.  June  29,  1820,  ;'  a  request  from  the  Union 
Society  in  Herkimer  for  a  dissolution  of  the  pastoral 
relation  between  them  and  the  Rev.  Hezekiah  N. 
Woodruff,  being  laid  before  the  Presbytery,  by  their 
commissioner.  Mr.  Norman  Seymour,  and  the  grounds 
of  the  request  and  the  circumstances  of  the  pastor  and 
congregation  being  inquired  into,  Presbytery  resolved 
that  the  pastoral  relations  be  continued  for  the  present, 
for  the  following  reasons:  1.  Because  the  pastoral  re- 
lation was  constituted  in  connection  with  the  Concord 
Society  at  Little  Falls  by  a  joint  call,  from  which  Soci- 
ety we  have  received  no  communication.  2.  To  g 
th<-  Trustees  of  Union  Society  an  opportunity  t«» 
provide  for  the  arrearages  of  salary  due  their  pas 
3.  That  the  pastor  may  continue  to  afford  such  aid 
-  iid  church  in  their  weak  condition  as  his  cir- 
cumstances will  admit,  under  consideration  that  he 
relinquishes  his  claim  to  the  salary  stipulated  by  said 
Society  at  the  time  of  his  installation."  February, 
L822 :  "A  communication  was  read  from  Et  ..  B<   • 

kiah  X.  W 1  I'M  If.  in  which,  on  account  of  the  extent  of 

his  labors  and  the  want  of  support,  he  requested  a  dis- 
solution of  the  pastoral  connection  between  him  and  the 
united  congregations  of  Berkimer  and  Little  Falls,  and 
in  which  he  also  requested  dismission  to  join  the  P 
I'vtcry   of    Onondaga     Mr.   James    Kennedy,    ruling 


404  PRESBYTEHIAX1SM  IN  THE 

older  and  commissioner  from  the  congregation  of  Little 
Falls,  stated  that  that  congregation  had  unanimously, 
for  the  reasons  assigned  by  him,  agreed  to  unite  with 
Mr.  Woodruff  in  the  request,  A  similar  request  from 
the  congregation  of  Herkimer,  made  to  Presbytery  at 
their  session  in  Home,  was  also  read.  "Whereupon  it 
was  resolved  that  Mr.  Woodruff's  pastoral  relation  to 
those  comrres-ations  be  dissolved,  and  that  he  be  dis- 
missed  to  join  the  Presbytery  of  Onondaga,"  Feb.  6r 
1824:  a  The  committee  to  whom  was  referred  a  com- 
munication from  the  churcli  of  Herkimer,  requesting 
the  interference  of  Presbytery  under  their  existing  dif- 
ficulties, reported,  recommending  that  Messrs.  Bogue, 
Aiken  and  Southworth,  ministers,  and  Moses  Williams 
and  George  Huntington,  elders,  be  a  committee  to  meet 
the  Classis  of  Montgomery  at  their  session  in  Herki- 
mer, Wednesday  next,  for  the  purpose  of  relieving  the 
church  at  Herkimer  from  their  present  embarrassments." 
While  the  first  church,  organization  at  Little  Falls  was 
reported  to  have  expired,  and  a  second  presented  itself 
to  the  Presbytery  in  1813,  the  new  one  may  be  accepted 
as  rising  from  the  ashes  of  the  old  one,  and  thus,  in 
substance,  a  transmission  of  it.  The  society,  bearing 
the  good  name  of  Concord,  extends  further  back  than 
the  formation  of  the  Oneida  Presbytery,  for  the  old 
octagon  church  edifice,  so  long  a  conspicuous  figure  in 
the  surrounding  scenery,  was  probably  built  by  it  as 
early  as  1790.  Rev.  John  Taylor  describes  it,  in  1802, 
as  "  a  new  and  beautiful  meeting  house,  standing  about 
forty  rods  back  on  the  hill,  built  in  the  form  of  an  oc- 
tagon." "  The  parish."  he  says,  "  contains  six  or  seven 
hundred  inhabitants.     They  have  a  new  meetinghouse, 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  405 

but  do  not  improve  it.     In  this  place   may  be  found 
men  of  various  religious  sects.'' 

Holland  Patent,*  "  then  called  Trenton,"  accord- 
ing to  the  Index  of  that  body,  "  was  one  of  the  original 
congregations1'  of  the  Oneida  Presbytery,  and  a  session 
of  the  Presbytery  was  held  there  in  1806.  The  trus- 
tees of  the  society  were  probably  the  persons  spoken  of 
in  the  minutes,  Feb.  29.  1804,  as  representing  the 
"  United  Protestant  Religious  Society  in  Trenton." 
They  addressed  a  letter  to  the  Presbyter v,  request- 
ing it  to  "  grant  them  supplies,"  and  Mr.  Snow- 
den  was  appointed  to  preach  for  them  "  the  third 
Sabbath  in  March,  Mr.  Fisk  the  second  in  May,  and 
Mr.  Dodd  the  third  in  June."  This  is  the  society  which 
Rev.  Peter  Fisk  served  for  a  time,  but  a  call  to  which, 
September,  1805,  he  declined.  Its  polity  was  Presby- 
terian up  to  September,  1806,  when  "  a  communication 
from  the  eldership  of  the  Church  at  Holland  Patent 
was  received  by  the  Presbytery,  in  which  request  was 
made  that  a  committee  be  appointed  to  advise  and  as- 
sist the  church  at  that  place  in  forming  a  plan  of  union 

*This  name  suggests  an  illustration  of  the  fact  that  it  is  an 
old  habit  with  public  functionaries  to  make  large  perquisites  out 
of  their  offices,  which  they  cover  out  of  sight  and  conduct  to 
themselves  by  invisible  channels.  In  1768,  Sir  Henry  Moore, 
Governor  of  the  Province  of  New  York,  granted  a  patent  to  a 
Peter  Lewis  and  twenty-four  associates,  for  23,000  acres  of  land. 
This,  however,  was  only  a  circuitous  route  to  Sir  William  John- 
son. Lewis  and  his  associates  conveying  the  patent,  as  soon 
as  obtained,  to  that  servant  of  the  Crown.  It  descended  to  his 
son,  Sir  John  Johnson,  by  whom  it  was  sold  to  the  "  Holland 
Land  Company." 


406  PRESBYTERIANISM  IN  THE 

with  the  church  of  Christ  in  Steuben,  and  also  with  the 
Congregational  brethren  in  Holland  Patent.  Presbytery 
appointed  Mr.  Snowden  for  the  purpose  above  men- 
tioned, and  directed  him  to  request  the  assistance  of 
Rev.  John  H.  Eastman,  of  the  Association  of  Oneida, 
in  this  business."  October,  1806:  "A  plan  of  union 
agreed  on  between  the  Presbyterian  church  at  Holland 
Patent  and  the  Congregational  brethren  of  Steuben, 
was  laid  before  Presbytery,  and  their  advice  requested 
on  the  subject.  Presbytery  conceiving  that  the  plan 
above  mentioned  is  nearly  similar  to  that  proposed  by 
the  General  Assembly  and  the  General  Association  of 
Connecticut,  and  that  it  may  promote  the  interests  of 
Zion  in  those  places,  advised  the  Presbyterian  church 
of  Holland  Patent  to  adopt  the  same."  Feb.  4,  1812, 
Rev.  John  Taylor,  in  the  account  of  his  missionary 
tour  in  1802,  sa}*s  :  "In  this  town  (Steuben)  there  is  a 
church  of  about  thirty  members,  formed  by  Mr.  (Caleb) 
Alexander  in  1801.  They  keep  up  regular  meetings 
on  the  Sabbath,  and  are  a  religious  people."  The  com- 
bination of  different  denominational  elements  did  not 
prove  an  amalgamation.  The  parts  maintained  their 
polities  at  heart,  and  so  much  discord  resulted  that  the 
offices  of  the  Presbytery  were  invoked  to  compose  it. 
The  Presbytery  concluded,  February,  1812,  that  noth- 
ing would  answer  but  a  recalling  of  the  liberty  granted 
to  the  church,  of  so  constructing  itself  as  "  to  em- 
brace a  number  of  persons  attached  to  Congregational 
principles,"  for  the  experiment  of  a  mixed  government 
"appeared  to  have  entirely  failed."  The  following 
.Tune,  "the  elder  from  the  church  of  Holland  Patent 
(the  church,  as  it  thus  appears,  had  returned  to  Presbv- 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  407 

terianism  then)   laid   before   Presbytery  the  following 
extract  from  the  minutes  of  the  session  of  the  church : 

"Resolved,  That  our  delegate  to  the  next  meeting  of  the  Pres- 
bytery be  directed  to  inform  that  body  that  several  of  the  mem- 
bers of  the  late  united  Presbyterian  and  Congregational  Churches 
have  declined  adopting  the  order  of  Presbytery  for  the  reinstat- 
ing of  Presbyterian  government,  and  that  they  have  been  organ- 
ized into  a  distinct  church  by  Rev.  Elijah  Norton,  and  that  we 
request  Presbytery  to  give  their  opinion  respecting  the  standing 
of  these  brethren  Eli  Hyde,  Moderator  of  the  meeting  of  the 
Church  Session." 

The  Presbytery  advised  that  when  the  Congregational 
brethren  should  be  organized  under  the  direction  of  any 
regular  Association,  they  should  be  recognized  as  a 
church. 


August  26,  1807,  liev.  Oliver  Wetmore  was  "ordain- 
ed to  the  pastoral  care  of  the  United  Church  and  Con- 
ation of  the  First  Presbyterian  Society  in  Holland 
Patent,"  Rev.  Dr.  Nathan  Perkins,  of  Hartford,  Ct, 
preaching  the  sermon  and  addressing  the  pastor.  The 
pe< -pie  "promised  and  obliged  themselves  to  pay $400, 
;i  house  to  live  in.  and  the  expense  of  moving  one  load 
Is  from  Connecticut"  October,  1809,  Israel  Spen- 
cer, Esq.,  tabled  charges  against  Mr.  Wetmore,  growing 
out  of  a  case  of  discipline  by  the  Session.  The  Presby- 
tery acquitted  the  accused  of  "all  gross  or  immoral 
conduct,"  and  concluded  him  guilty  of  "  nothing  more 
than  such  acts  of  infirmity  as  may  Ik-  easily  amended; 
thai  be  seema  in  some  cases  to  have  erred  in  judgment 
with  regard  to  the  most  prudent  measures  to  be  pur- 
-ued;  that  in  others  be  has  expressed  himself  rashly, 

and  that  lie  lias  n  -  •  I  all  that  forbearance  whieh 


408  mESBYTERIAXISM  IN  THE 

the  difficult  duties  of  a  minister  of  the  Gospel  require. 
At  the  same  time,  he  has  been  led  into  indiscretion  by 
serious  provocation,  and  it  is  not  surprising  that  he 
erred,  considering  the  very  peculiar  and  trying  circum- 
stances in  which  he  was  placed.1'  All  parties  were  ex- 
horted to  "  forgive  one  another,  to  avoid  recrimination 
for  the  future,  and  to  think  of  the  past  only  to  escape 
in  time  to  come  similar  dissension."  Prosecutor  and 
defendant  expressed  their  acquiescence  in  the  finding 
and  the  advice,  and  gave  to  each  other  the  right  hand 
of  fellowship  and  Christian  charity,  and  the  Moderator 
addressed  an  exhortation  to  them,  and  the  whole  was 
closed  by  prayer. 

February,  1811,  Mr.  Joshua  Storrs  laid  charges  also 
against  Mr.  Wetmore,  growing  out  of  the  proceedings 
of  a  church  meeting,  and  though  acquitted  of  the 
most  of  them,  he  was  convicted  of  passionateness 
;iiid  required  to  make  acknowledgments  in  open  Pres- 
bytery, and  a  personal  confession  to  the  person  whom 
he  had  injured.  He  consented  to  this,  and  his  pro- 
secutor was  censured  for  rashness  in  the  charges 
that  were  negatived,  and  required  to  acknowledge 
his  fault  in  the  presence  of  the  congregation.  Mr. 
Wetmore  then  asked  a  release  from  his  pastorate,  which 
was  allowed  at  a  subsequent  meeting  of  the  Presby- 
tery, where  Mr.  Bezaliel  Fisk  appeared  as  a  Commis- 
sioner of  the  congregation,  and  expressed  its  concur- 
rence with  Mr.  Wetmore  in  his  request  From  1811  to 
1814,  nothing  more  than  occasional  supplies  were  en- 
joyed, generally  appointed  by  the  Presbytery.  In 
1814  Rev.  David  Harrower  was  employed  for  three- 
fourths  of  his  time, the  remaining  fourth  being  spent  at 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  40^ 

Steuben,  and  lie  remained  for  nearly  seven  years,  giving 
Holland  Patent  but  half  of  his  time  after  the  third 
year,  and  the  remainder  to  Trenton  and  Steuben.  His 
first  settlement  was  at  Walton,  Delaware  county,  and 
he  died  at  the  home  of  his  son  in  Tioga  county,  Pa. 
Rev.  William  Good  ell  was  installed  in  1822,  and  re- 
signed in  1829.  There  have  followed  him  Rev.  Ste- 
phen Burritt,  1829-1835;  Rev.  George  W.  Finney, 
1836-1838;  Rev.  Chauncey  E.  Goodrich,  1839-1840; 
T.  C.  Hill,  1840-1842  ;  Rev.  JohnF.  Scoville,  1843- 
1849:  Rev.  J.  W.  Phillips,  1850-1851;  Rev.  Charles 
Jones,  1851-1852;  Rev.  Richard  F.  Cleaveland,  1853,  in 
which  year  he  suddenly  died,  and  only  two  weeks  after 
his  settlement;  Rev.  A.  EL  Corliss,  1854-1871;  Rev. 
Henry  K  Millard,  1871-1873;  Rev.  Julius  S.  Patten- 
gill,  lb73-18~.">.  and  Rev.  John  Brayton  1876,  and  pastor 
now.  Repeated  revivals  of  religion  have  refreshed  the 
church,  particularly  in  1826,  under  the  special  labors  of 
Rev.  Berman  Norton,  when  forty  were  received  t<>  its 
communion,  and  in  1832,  when  fifty  were  added  to 
it  :  and  also  during  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  Mr.  Corliss. 
A   venerable  citizen  writes:    '"In  memory   I  go  back 

IB,  t<>  tin-  old  double  school-house  then  situ- 
ated   <»n    the    'Public   Square.1      A    partition    was    run 

through  the  centre,  folded  to  accommodate  the  district 
school,  and  unfolded  lor  the  church-going  people.  We 
traveled  on  horseback,— my  father  on  one  horse,  with 

myself  before  in  his  anus  and  my  elder  sister  behind 

on  a  pillion,  and  my  mother  and  two  Bisters  on  another 

horse.     Thus  we  passed  through  the  woods  and  swamps 

to  the  Square,  and  after  a  tedious  stay  there.  08    I    then 


410  PRESB  YTERIANISM  IN  THE 

thought,  through   two  very  long  sermons,  we  returned 
to  our  cabin  home." 

February,  IS  16.  "Duncan  Blue,  elder  from  the 
church  of  Oldenbarneveld,  presented  a  petition  from 
this  church  to  be  taken  under  the  care  of  the  Presby- 
tery (Oneida).  Their  request  was  granted,  and  their 
name  ordered  to  be  enrolled  among  the  congregations 
belonging  to  the  Presbytery."  This  is  the  church  in 
Trenton  village,  originally  called  Oldenbarneveld,  and 
on  the  change  of  the  name  of  the  village,  at  the  desire 
of  the  church,  it  wTas  "  Resolved,  February,  1S20,  that  it 
be  henceforth  known  by  the  name  of  the^Presbyterian 
Church  in  Trenton."  The  frequent  religious  services 
there  conducted  by  Judge  Vanderkemp  and  Col.  Map- 
pa,  or  under  their  auspices,  have  been  spoken  of  as  the 
origin  of  the  church.  Their  doctrinal  views  were  by 
no  means  thoroughly  evangelical,  but  they  were  sin- 
cerely religious  and  liberal,  and  anxious  for  public 
worship  and  preaching,  irrespective  of  their  particular 
type.  The  Unitarian  church  here  is  not  due  to  these 
gentlemen,  though  they  may  have  more  fully  accorded 
with  it  than  with  any  of  strict  orthodoxy,  but  in  1805 
or  1806,  to  Rev.  John  Sherman,  grandson  of  Roger 
Sherman,  of  Connecticut,  one  of  the  most  distinguished 
of  the  signers  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence.  Rev. 
David  Harrower  frequently  and  |  >erhaps  quite  regularly 
officiated  lor  the  Presbyterian  Church  during  his  seven 
years  connect  ion  with  Holland  Patent.  .V  line  stone 
church  was  built  for  the  congregation  in  L82I,  but  the 
attendance  declined,  and  it  is  seldom  opened  now. 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  411 

The  church  at  AUGUSTA  was  organized  in  1797  by 
Rev.  Dr.  Norton,  of  Clinton,  and  Rev.  Joel  Bradley,  of 
Westmoreland.  For  seven  years  its  only  ministers 
were  occasional  supplies,  but  the  people  met  regularly 
in  private  dwellings,  school-houses,  barns,  and  also  in 
the  open  air.  In  1804,  Rev.  John  Spencer  commenced 
services  for  them.  lie  was  a  native  of  Connecticut,  and 
obtained  all  his  literary  education  in  its  Common 
Schools.  He  eidisted  as  a  soldier  in  the  Revolutionary 
army,  and  when  peace  was  declared  he  made  a  home  at 
Worcester,  Otsego  county.  The  spiritual  destitution  of 
the  country  excited  his  sympathy,  and  in  1800  he 
sought  and  obtained  license  to  preach.  He  spent  the 
first  two  years  of  his  ministry  in  Greene  county,  and 
then  came  to  Oneida  county,  and  had  been  living  at 
Vernon  Center  immediately  before  settling  at  Augusta. 
He  left  this  place  in  1807,  bearing  away  the  affection 
of  the  people,  and  in  1809  removed  to  Chautauqua 
county.  ;iu  almost  unbroken  wilderness  at  the  time. 
Bere  he  died,  and   now  lies  in  the  burying  ground  at 

Sheridan,  wifh  a  monument  over  his  grave  bearing  the 

inscription:  "This  stone  is  consecrated  to  the  memory 
of  Rev.  John  Spencer,  many  years  a  missionary  of  the 
Connecticut  Missionary  Society.  He  was  the  firsl 
pd  minister  who  traversed  the  wilderness  then  called 
the  Holland  Purchase,  and  was  the  instrument,  under 
God,  in  forming  most  of  the  Congregational  and  Pres- 
byterian Churches  which  existed  in  this  region  when  he 
rested  from  his  labors,  1  626,  aged  68.  The  Association 
of  Western  New  York,  grateful  to  his  memory,  have 
erected  this  monument  hoping  that  it  may  prompt  the 
beholder  to  imitate  his  self-denying  lab< >rs."     It  proved 


412  PRESBTTERIANISM  IN  THE 

a  sore  bereavement  to  the  church  at  Augusta  when  Mr. 
Spencer  left.  It  suffered  a  vacancy  for  two  years,  and 
a  disastrous  agitation.  In  1810,  Rev.  David  Kendall 
came  to  it  from  Hubbarton,  Mass.,  and  remained  with 
it  until  1814.  The  Rev.  Oliver  Aver  soon  followed 
him,  and  spent  four  years  with  it,  and  those  among  the 
most  prosperous  in  its  history.  Then  there  succeeded : 
Rev.  Eli  Burchard,  from  1818  until  1822;  Rev.  Benja- 
min J.  Lane,  from  1822  to  1826;  the  Rev.  Leverett 
Hull,  from  1826  to  1830;  and  Rev.  John  Waters  for 
the  single  year  of  1831 ;  the  Rev.  A.  P.  Clark  in  1833, 
after  two  years  previously  of  listening  to  candidates, 
until  his  early  death  in  1835;  and  in  1836,  Rev.  Orlo 
Bartholomew,  who  remained  for  twenty-eight  years,  and 
until  death  took  him  away.  The  church  suffered  often 
and  much  in  its  early  days  from  dissensions,  and  was 
reduced  at  times  to  great  weakness,  and  yet  it  enjoyed 
frequently  the  special  influences  of  the  Spirit.  During 
Mr.  Ayer's  two  years  labors  it  had  an  addition  of  160 
to  its  previous  membership  of  48 ;  during  Mr.  Bur- 
chard's  nearly  three  years,  58 ;  during  Mr.  Lane's  four 
years,  79 ;  and  during  Mr.  Hall's  four  years,  about  100, 
the  first  protracted  meeting  there  being  held  then,  and 
accompanied  by  measures  that  were  pronounced  extrav- 
agant ;  and  during  Mr.  Waters'  one  year,  53,  and  the 
el  lurch  at  that  time  numbered  400.  Mr.  Bartholomew 
won  general  confidence  and  regard,  and  reaped  bounti- 
fully while  he  sowed  plentifully,  and  harmonized  and 
consolidated  the  church.  It  occupied  the  town  house 
for  its  services  from  1805  to  lbl6,  and  then  erected  its 
presenl  sanctuary,  which  it  remodelled  and  rededicated 
in  L844,  and  quite  recently  rearranged  extensively  and 


' 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  413 

exceedingly  beautified.  It  sent  a  colony  to  Knoxboro 
within  a  few  years,  but  keeps  up  its  numbers  and  in- 
come, and  is  one  of  tlie  most  inviting  and  flourishing  of 
our  rural  congregations. 

In  the  minutes  of  the  Presbytery  of  Oneida.    Feb. 
29,  1804,  it  is  recorded  : 

"  Rev.  Joshua  Knight  appeared  before  Presbytery  and  presented 
an  attested  copy  of  the  proceedings  of  an  Ecclesiastical  Council 
convened  at  SHERBURNE,  for  his  ordination  and  installment  (over 
second  church,  formed  in  1802)  at  said  place,  which  was  read, 
and  is  as  follows:  '  At  an  Ecclesiastical  Council  convened  at  Sher- 
burne for  the  purpose  of  ordaining  to  the  work  of  the  Gospel 
Ministry  Mr.  Joshua  Knight,  a  licentiate  under  the  careof  Oneida 
Presbytery,  and  installing  him  pastor  of  the  Calvinistic  Conr 
tional  Church  and  congregation  in  Sherburne  :  Present,  Rev. 
Messrs.  Asahel  S.  Norton,  Bethuel  Dodd,  Samuel  F.  Snowden  and 
Isaac  Lewis,  ministers,  and  Messrs.  David  Thurstin,  John  Wil- 
liams,  Jr.,  Thomas  (i  ay  lord,  Elisha  Lamphear  and  .hired  .).  Hooker, 
delegates.  Mi'.  Norton  was  chosen  Moderator  and  Mr.  Dodd 
Scribe.  Constituted  by  prayer.  Rev.  .John  Spencer,  of  Vernon, 
being  present,  was  invited  to  sit  as  a  corresponding  member. 
Mr.  Knight  presented  his  credentials,  which  were  received  as  am- 
pie  and  satisfactory.  The  call  which  had  been  presented  to  Mr. 
Knight  by  the  above  church  and  congregation  was  read,  and  ap- 
peared to  he  in  order,  and  he  having  declared  his  acceptance  of 
the  same,  the  Council  proceeded  to  a  further  trial  of  Mr.  Knight 
preparatory  to  ordination.    They  examined  him  as  to  his  Tiewi 

in    entering  the    ministry,    and    his    sentiments    in    Divinity    and 

Church  Government,  in  all  of  which  he  was  approved.  There- 
fore,  voted   unanimously,  to   proceed   to-morrew  morning,  at  11 

o'clock,  to    ordain    Mr.     Knight    and    in-tall     him    pastor    <>' 

church  and  ( gregation.     Voted,  that  Rev.  J.  Spencer,  make  the 

introductory   pray,  i    Ri      I    iac    Lewie   preach  the  sermon,  Etai 
S.  P.   Snowden    make    the    conse*  rating    prayer,    ttei     Bethuel 
Dodd  give  a  charge  to  the  minister,  the  Moderator  presidi 
give   the  righl  hand  of  fellowship,  an. I  l;.  \     Isaac  Lewis  make 
the  concluding  prayer.'     '  At  the  hour  appointed,  the)   pr 


414  PRESB  TTER1ANISM  IN  THE 

to  the  meeting  house  and  ordained  Mr.  Joshua  Knight  to  the 
work  of  the  Gospel  Ministry,  and  installed  him  pastor  of  the 
church  and  congregation  of  Sherburne.  The  parts  assigned  to 
members  of  the  Council  were  performed  according  to  appoint- 
ment.' " 

Mr.  Knight  remained  until  1823,  when  lie  was  de- 
posed from  the  ministry. 


Sherburne  was  settled  in  1793,  by  a  colony  from 
Kent,  Ct,  many  of  the  number  having  been  soldiers  and 
officers  in  the  Kevolutionary  army.  They  first  stopped 
at  Duanesburg,  Schenectady  county,  and  organized  into 
a  church  under  Rev.  Blackleach  Burritt.  but  a  defective 
title  to  the  land  induced  them  soon  to  leave.  They 
then  formed  a  company  and  purchased  a  quarter  of  the 
present  town  of  Sherburne,  one  of  twenty  townships 
then  recently  purchased  of  the  Oneida  Indians.  They 
immediately  established  religious  services  and  main- 
tained them  themselves,  with  occasional  help  from  min- 
isters, deacon  Nathanael  Gray  taking  the  lead  of  them, 
until  1804.  On  the  6th  of  July,  1794,  a  Congregational 
Church  was  constituted,  consisting  of  seven  male  and 
eight  female  members.  Rev.  Nathan  B.  Darrow  held 
the  charge  of  it  about  a  }7ear.  Be  v.  Roger  Adams  suc- 
ceeded to  it  in  1806,  and  retired  from  it  in  1800,  on  ac- 
count of  tlte  failure  of  his  health  and  in  the  midst  of 
greal  usefulness  and  while  warmly  loved  by  the  people. 
Rev.  Aimer  Benedict  followed  in  L811,  and  left  in  1813. 
1  Jew  John  Truaircamein  L815and  remained  until  1820. 
The  succession  thence  onwards  was  Rev.  J.  N.  Sprague 
fn.m  L625  to  L834,  Rev  Geo.  E.  Delevan  from  1838 
to    L839,    Rev    Amos  C.  Tattle  from    L845   to   1853; 


SYXOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  41o 

Rev.  Archibald  McDougall  from  1854  to  1860,  Rev. 
]•:.  ( Jurtis  from  1860  to  1867,  and  Rev.  Samuel  Miller, 
whose  labors  began  in  1867  and  are  still  in  prog 
At  an  early  day  a  commodious  school  house,  built 
in  ••  the  Quarter,"  a  short  distance  from  the  village,  was 
used  for  teaching  during  the  week,  and  for  worship  and 

ching  on  the  Sabbath,  a  moveable  pulpit  being 
brought  forward  for  the  church  and  set  back  for  the 
schooL  In  1803,  a  church  edifice  was  raised  at  Rob- 
inson's I  till,  but  too  far  off  for  the  convenience  of  the 
congregation  In  1810,  it  was  started  for  a  removal  to 
the  village,  but  on  reaching  the  Quarter,  such  an  oppo- 
sition was  presented  to  its  going  on,  that  it  stood  oil 
rollers  from  spring  to  fall,  when  a  compromise  placet 
it  midway  between  the  two  sites.  There  it  stood  for 
nearly  half  a  century,  consecrated  by  the  effusions  of 
nn,-  Spirit  from  time  to  time  upon  its  assemblies,  and 
justly  endeared  to  the  people  The  growing  claims 
of  the  village  finally  allowed  no  longer  resistance, 
and  relinquished  to  Roman  Catholics,  its  congr< 
tion  now  meet  at  the  centre,  and  within  walls  and 
under  a  roof  of  which  architecture  better  appn 
The-  first  families  were  of  the   Puritan  stamp.     The 

ath,  commencing  with  Saturday  evening,  was 
membered  by  them,  the  evening  being  devoted  to  the 
Westminster  Catechism,  the   father  putting  the  ques- 
tions and  the  mother  and  children  answering.     And  at 
set  times,  particularly  it's  day,  a  public  meei 

held,  religious  conversation  was  had  with  the  youth 
by  the  fathers  and  officers  of  the  church,  and  they 
examined   in  the  Catechism, — and   this  exen 
kept   up  for  twenty  years  and  until  1815,  when  it 


416  PRESB  YTERIA  NISM  IN  THE 

superseded  by  Sunday  school  instruction.  Before  the 
settlement  of  a  pastor,  the  "  Monthly  Conference,"  on 
the  last  Friday  afternoon  of  each  month,  was  inaugu- 
rated, designed  for  mutual  improvement  in  a  spiritual 
life  and  for  the  general  promotion  of  religion.  The  ex- 
ercises were  informal,  and  the  intercourse  between  the 
attendants  very  familiar.  The  soul,  its  joys  and  sor- 
rows, its  hopes  and  fears,  its  embarrassments  and  tri- 
umphs, its  hindrances  and  helps,  were  the  topics  of  re- 
mark and  the  subjects  of  prayer  ;  and  bringing  their 
children  with  them,  parents  sought  their  happy  impres- 
sion, and  joined  in  intercession  for  them.  Here  it  wasr 
too,  anxious  and  inquiring  sinners  made  their  way,  and 
here  new  born  souls  told  their  regeneracy,  and  asked 
sympathy  and  counsel  and  help  and  prayer.  More  than 
once  was  the  unsealing  of  a  convert's  lips  there  the  open- 
ing to  the  congregation  and  community  of  the  fountain  of 
grace  The  "  Saturday  night  prayer  meeting"  was  long 
prized  and  relished,  falling  in  at  the  beginning  with  the 
observance  of  Saturday  evening  as  the  opening  of  the  Sab- 
bath. It  was  held  at  three  or  four  different  places  each 
evening,  children  generally  accompanying  their  fathers 
and  mothers,  and  most  of  them  finally  passing  into  the 
church.  Revivals  have  been  a  frequent  experience  of 
thepeople  Thefirst,in  1807,  under  Rev.  Roger  Adams, 
« originated  in  the  "  monthly  conference."  Thirty  joined 
the  church  in  1811-1818,  during  the  ministry  of  Rev. 
Abner  Benedict  An  unexpected  revelation  of  his  feel- 
ings by  Mr.  L.  W.  Elmore,  at  the  March  monthly  confer- 
ence, L816,  quickened  the  whole  church,  during  the  min- 
istry of  Rev.  John  Truair,  1815-1820,  and  two  hundred 
were  added  to  it     During  Rev.  J.  N.  Sprague's  con- 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  417 

nection  with  it,  1825-1834,  about  one  hundred  joined 

it,  and  fifteen  or  twenty  during  the  one  year  Rev. 
George  E.  Delevan  staid  with  it,  and  about  eighty  in 
two  revivals  under  Rev.  Amos  C.  Tuttle,  1845-1853, 
and  about  twenty-five  as  the  result  of  a  protracted 
meeting  conducted  by  the  evangelist  Rev.  C.  Parker, 
during  the  ministry  of  Rev.  Archibald  McDougall, 
1854-1860,  and  about  forty  under  Rev.  E.  Curtis,  1860- 
1807,  and  a  considerable  number  under  Rev.  Samuel 
Miller,  whose  ministiy  began  1867,  and  still  continues. 
The  church  has  sent  out  twenty  professional  men,  some 
of  them  of  great  distinction,  and  eleven  of  them  preachers 
of  the  gospel.  It  has  regularly  and  largely  contributed 
to  benevolent  objects,  while  "Thy  kingdom  conle,,'  has 
been  its  earnest  and  constant  prayer.  At  the  height  of 
the  anti-slavery  excitement,  1845,  forty-seven  of  it- 
members  withdrew  from  the  church,  but  it  grew  beneath 
the  pressure  thus  put  upon  it  and  flourished  all  the  more. 
The  church  wa^  originally  connected  with  the  Union 
Association,  but  on  the  dissolution  of  thai  body  it 
united  with  Presbytery  on  the  "accommodation  plan," 
and  there  remained,  happy  and  prosperous,  until  a 
few  years  since,  when,  much  t«»  the  regrel  of  Presby- 
tery, it  parted  with  it  to  reenter  a  Congregational  As- 
sociation.  Eighl  hundred  and  seventy-five  members 
have  belonged  to  it.  two  hundred  of  whom  bave  died, 
four  hundred  been  dismissed,  twenty  excommunicated, 
six  suspended,  thirty-four  stricken  from  the  roll,  and 
forty-seven  have  Beceded,  leaving  one  hundred  and 
sixty-two  in  its  presenl  communis >n. 

The  town  of  OXFORD  was  settled  by  emigrants  priii 

cipally  from  New  England,  in  1791.     They  enjoyed  a! 


4 1  8  PRESB  YTERIANISM  IN  THE 

first  the  preaching  of  Rev.  Uri  Tracy,  principal  of  an 
academy  they  established,  and  of  the  Congregational 
find  Presbyterian  missionaries  who  traversed  the  region. 
For  seven  or  eight  years,  Kev.  John  Camp  officiated 
alternately  for  them  and  the  people  of  Norwich,  and  in 
1799  they  were  constituted  a  Congregational  Church. 
In  1808,  Kev.  Eli  Hyde  was  chosen  their  pastor,  and 
as  no  room  in  the  town  could  hold  the  assembly,  the 
services  were  performed  in  the  open  air.  In  1812.  Mr. 
Hyde  demitted  the  pastorate.  Up  to  this  time  there 
was  no  other  religious  society  in  town.  The  church 
then  suffered  a  protracted  vacancy  and  greatly  declined, 
though  the  people  themselves  sustained  religious  exer- 
cises and  were  visited  occasionally  by  ministers, — wor- 
shipping "now  in  the  old  academy  and  now  in  a  private 
dwelling,  assembling  in  a  tavern  for  prayers  with  chris- 
tians of  various  denominations,  but  statedly  meeting 
duringthe  latter  partof  theirperiodof  depression, in  the 
upper  chamber  of  a  cabinet  shop,  where  they  enjoyed  a 
baptism  of  the  Holy  Ghost."'  In  1813,  Mr.  Burt,  a  li- 
centiate from  Connecticut,  labored  among  them  a  few 
months,  and  in  1818,  Rev.  William  M.  Adams  supplied 
them  and  the  people  of  Norwich  for  six  months.  Rev. 
John  Truair  also  preached  for  them  from  time  to  time. 
and  also  Kev.  John  F.  Schermerhorn  and  Rev.  Charles 
Thorp,  under  the  ministrations  of  the  latter  of  whom, 
in  l>k21.  unusual  seriousness  prevailed.  The  Rev. 
Marcus  Earrison  then  labored  among  them  for  a  time. 
and  the  religious  interest  in  the  community  made  the 
upper  chamber  i"«»  strait  for  the  attendance,  and  in  a 
single  week  of  notable  cold,  in  L823,  a  room  thirty-six 
by   twenty-five  feel   was  arched,  plastered  and  seated, 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  4191 

and  on  the  Sunday  of  the  following  week,  and  on  the 
seventh  day  after  beginning,  the  congregation  assembled 
in  it  The  Rev.  Joseph  D.  Wickham,  a  licentiate  of 
the  New  Haven  West  Association,  was  instituted  pastor 
in  1823,  simultaneously  with  the  dedication  of  a  new 
and  commodious  and  beautiful  sanctuary.  Leaving  in 
1825,  he  was  succeed  by  Rev.  Elijah  D.  Wells,  1826- 
1828,  Rev.  James  Abell  1830-1836,  and  by  Rev.  Arthur 
Burtis,  1839-1846,— the  Rev.  Joel  Chapin,  Rev.  Mr.  Gil- 
bert, and  Rev.  Octavius  Fitch  in  1 829  and  1837  and  1838. 
In  1812,  the  church  united  with  the  Union  Association,, 
and  in  1822  with  the  Presbytery  of  Chenango,  fou+* 
\^uu^t^>^^^  (fciftsti  c*rri 

V^H^,  Revivals  have  marked  different  periods  of  its 
history,  particularly  during  their  wide  prevalence  in 
Central  and  Western  Ww  York,  and  during  the  ministry 
of  Mr.  Abell,  1830-6.  Education  was  promoted  hand 
in  hand  with  religion.  An  academy  was  incorporated 
and  set  in  operation  in  1791,  and  the  first  frame  build- 
ing in  the  village  was  put  up  for  its  accommodation, 
and  for  several  years  was  occupied  as  a  church  edifice 
on  Sunday. 

The  church  of  Soutb   Bainbridge,  (now  Afton)  of 
which  the  church  of  Ninevah  was  bora  in  1831,  entered 
life  in    L802,   but  expired  after  1840,  Leaving  a  '.. 
house  of  public  worship,  the  doors  of  which  are  closed 
excepl   for  occasional  uses, 

The  church  a1  Bainbridge  (originally  Jericho)  was 
established  in  17:»'J  !•::.  bj  Rev.  William  Stone,  of  the 
Vermonl  Missionary  Society.     He  remained  two  years 


4:20  PRESB YTERIANISM  IN  THE 

and  Rev.  Joel  Chapin  was  then  installed  pastor.  Ke- 
freshings  of  the  Spirit  have  revived  it  at  different  times, 
most  effectively  perhaps  in  1833  and  1843.  In  1802 
South  Jericho  church  was  formed  out  of  it,  and  Sidney 
Plains  in  1808. 

The  church  at  Lisle  dates  back  to  1797  or  1799, 
and  consisted  at  first  of  sixteen  members,  eleven  of 
whom  were  the  subjects  of  a  then  recent  revival.  In 
1801,  Dr.  Seth  Williston  consented  to  stay  his  work  of 
general  evangelism  and  serve  it  statedly,  and  in  1803 
he  commenced  its  first  pastorate  and  held  it  until 
1809.  During  this  relation  he  made  missionary  tours, 
mostly  in  the  immediate  vicinity.  Rev.  Henry  Ford 
followed  him  in  1813,  and  left  in  1820,  and  to 
him  succeeded  Rev.  Azariah  G.  Orton,  Rev.  John  B. 
Hoyt,  Rev.  J.  M.  Babbitt,  Rev.  John  N.  Lewis,  and 
others.  The  preaching  of  Dr.  Williston  survived  him 
in  its  pulpit,  and  the  church  has  been  uninterrupt- 
edly orthodox  and  active,  and  blessed  with  numerous 
seasons  of  outpourings  of  the  Spirit,  but  it  has  kept 
comparatively  small,  principally  by  dividing  the  acces- 
sions to  it  with  new  churches  taken  out  of  it — the  Pres- 
byterian Church  of  Baker  and  the  Congregational 
Churches  of  Triangle  and  Yorkshire,  or  Lisle  West, 
proceeding  from  it.  Its  offshoots  destroyed  its  site 
as  a  centre,  and  another  place  of  worship  was  pro- 
vided for  interchangeable  services,  at  Whitney's  Point. 
It  put  itself  first  under  the  care  of  the  Susquehannah 
Association,  Northern  Pennsylvania,  and  on  its  dis- 
solution in  1818,  united  with  the  Cayuga  Presbytery. 
which  it  left  in   1820  for  the  Union  Association,  and  on 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  421 

the  dissolution  of  this  in  1822,  was  attached  to  the 
Cortland  Presbytery ;  and  though  the  name  of  Lisle 
nowhere  now  appears  as  in  connection  with  an  ecclesi- 
astical body,  that  of  Whitney's  Point  is  entered  on  the 
roll  of  Binghamton  Presbytery. 

Homer  was  settled  in  1791,  and  in  1793,  when  but 
six  families  had  gathered  there,  public  worship  was 
set  up.  The  first  sermon  in  the  town  was  preached  by 
Rev.  Asa  Ilillyer.  a  pastor  of  New  Jersey,  but  com- 
missioned for  a  missionary  tour  by  the  General  Assem- 
bly. Messrs.  Lindsley  and  Logan,  sent  by  the  General 
Assembly,  and  Messrs.  Bushnell  and  Williston,  sent  by 
the  Connecticut  Missionary  Society,  afterwards  visited 
the  place  and  labored  in  it, — a  special  blessing  attend- 
ing Mr.  Williston's  coming  and  work,  which  resulted, 
in  1798,  in  the  conversion  of  fifteen  of  the  few  impeni- 
tent inhabitants  in  the  small  population.  Though  a 
"society"  was  incorporated  in  1799,  the  organization  of 
a  church  was  delayed  for  two  years  by  the  different 
ecclesiastical  preferences  of  the  people, — one  portion 
approving  and  liking  Presbyterianism  and  the  other 
Congregationalism.  This  difference  of  choice  breddis- 
loii.  but  no  quarrel,  and  yet  was  necessarily  harm- 
ful In  the  fall  of  1801,  Mrs.  Dorothy  Hoar  said  to 
her  husband,  "  1  bave  lain  awake  all  night  praying  for 
direction  as  to  tin-  method  of  forming  a  church.     God 

has  heard  me,  and  this  is  the  uav:  Do  you  go  and 
collect  the  naim  >  of  all  who  arc  Willing  to  take  part  in 

organizing  a  Congregational  Church  here,  and  ii  vite  all 
others  who  choose  t<»  unite  with  it."  The  suggestion 
was   immediately    followed,  and   Oct.    12,   L£0I,  Rev, 

'a 


422  PRESBYTERIANISS1  IN  THE 

Hugh  Wallis,  of  Solon,  presided  at  the  formation  of 
the  church.  Mr.  Nathan  B.  Darrow  was  elected  the 
first  pastor  in  1803,  and  resigned  in  1808.  Elnathan 
Walker  followed,  1809-1820,  and  John  Keep  1821- 
1833. 

This  church  was  one  of  the  original  number  in  the 
Middle  Association,  and  passed  with  it,  in  1810,  into 
the  Onondaga  Presbytery,  and  subsequently,  on  the 
erection  of  that  body,  it  was  placed  in  the  Cortland 
Presbytery,  from  which  it  withdrew  in  1868,  and  joined 
the  Central  Association. 

In  1799,  a  building  was  put  up  for  the  joint  use  of 
the  church  and  a  school,  a  swing  partition  when  closed 
adapting  the  building  to  a  school,   and  thrown  back 
to   a   church.      This   school  became   a   distinguished 
academy,  and  remains  eminent   to   this   day.     It  has 
been  the  grammar   school   of  fifty   ministers   of    the 
gospel.     Mr.  Lindsley,  of   the   Presbytery  of   Oneida 
and  pastor  at   Ovid,  officiated   at   the  dedication,  and 
Dr.  Williston  speaks  of  this  as  "  almost  the  only  build- 
ing in  all  this  western  country  which  has  been  erected 
with  a  principal  reference  to  accommodate  the  worship 
of  God."     In  1S05,  it  was  relinquished,  and  possession 
taken  of  a  new  sanctuary,  fifty  by  seventy-two  feetT 
with  a  plot  of  six  acres,  including  the  present  village 
green.     It  was  commodious  and  handsome,  and  its  ex- 
pcnsiveness  at  that  day  and  in  that  community,  shows 
how  amiable  to  the  people  were  the  tabernacles  of  the 
I  a  >rd.    Within  a  few  years  this  latter  was  supplanted  by 
anot her  still  more  capacious,  convenient  and  beautiful. 
The  church   is  noted  for  the  displays  of  grace  made 
in  it.     Preparation  was  made  for  its  establishment  by 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  423 

one  of  these,  and  they  have  been  repeated  at  short  in- 
tervals through  its  whole  history.     Ninety-three  were 
added  to  its  list  of  communicants  daring  Mr.  Darrow's 
ministry  of  five  years.     Thrice  were  the  windows  of 
heaven  opened  upon  it  during  the  eleven  years  of  Mr. 
Walker's   ministry,   so  that  counting  but  ninety-nine 
members  when  he  came  to  it,  it  had  a  list  of  four  hun- 
dred and  twenty-seven  when  death  removed  him  from 
it;  and  one  hundred  and  eighty-eight  of   these   were 
brought  in  during  the  single  year  of   1812-13.     The 
work  that  resulted  in  this  large  accession  to  it  began  in 
a  little  female  prayer  meeting,  started  by  a  devoted 
Christian  woman  at  the  house  of  Deacon  Jacob  Hoar. 
People   were   impelled    to  attend  by  the  force  of  the 
Spirit,  and  soon  a  neighboring  school  house  was  opened 
for  the  needed  accommodation.     Thence  the  influence 
spread  until  every  part  of  the  town  was  reached.     Fif- 
teen married  couples  were  subjected  to  it,  and  stood 
up,  husband  and  wrife  side  by  side,  publicly  to  profess 
their  hope  in   Christ  and  their  submission  and  conse- 
cration to  him,  and  the  large  proportion  of  the  addi- 
tions then  made  were  adult  converts.     1816  was  also 
signalized  by  the  divine  mercy  and  might,  so  that  one 
hundred  and  thirty-six  were  taken  into  Christian  fel- 
lowship.    A  revival  in  ls-?<»  bad  a  remarkable  origin. 
Three  or  four  of  the  church   members  had   become 
alienated  from  their  pastor  and  spoke  so  abusively  of 
him,  that  the  church  was  compelled  to  take  notice  of 
it.     A   council  convened  t<>  adjudicate  the  case,  hut 
on  coming  together  it  was  perceived  thai  any  proceed 
by  such  a  body  would  \i<>late  the  relations  of  the 
Church  to  the  Presbvterv  with  which  it  was  connected. 


424  PRESBYTER1ANISM  IN  THE 

Dr.  Dirck  C.  Lansing  was  invited  to  sit  as  a  member  of 
the  council,  and  headed  by  him,  the  whole  company 
applied  themselves  to  a  private  reconciliation  of  the 
offending  and  aggrieved  parties,  "  and  mutual  confes- 
sion and  forgiveness  commenced,  and  after  a  most 
tender  and  melting  season  for  two  daj^s,"  "  all  difficul- 
ties were  amicably  settled.  The  church  all  took  the 
pastor  by  the  hand  in  token  of  their  mutual  forgive- 
ness and  love.1'  "The  Spirit  was  poured  down,  and 
sinners  began  to  inquire  what  they  must  do  to  be 
saved  and  implored  the  prayers  and  labors  of  the  saints 
of  God."  Minister  and  people  vied  with  each  other  in 
saving  those  who  were  ready  to  perish,  and  the  entire 
community  was  aroused.  The  minister  fell  a  victim  to 
his  zeal,  and  at  the  early  age  of  forty  was  called  to  his 
final  rest.  Another  revival,  in  1826,  added  fifty-seven 
to  the  church.  Trie  first  "  protracted  meeting"  was 
held  in  the  place  during  1831,  and  during  that  year  and 
the  two  following  years,  it  was  repeated  six  times.  In 
1883,  Mr.  Finney  was  expected,  but  could  not  come, 
and  Rev.  Mr.  Burchard  took  his  place.  1830-31-32- 
33  were  harvest  seasons,  but  the  sentiment  of  the 
church  was  so  much  divided  in  regard  to  the  measures 
for  ingathering,  that  the  pastor  was  induced  to  presenl 
his  resignation.  Two  hundred  and  eighty-six  were  re- 
ceived to  the  church  during  the  pastorate  of  Kev.  Den- 
nis Piatt,  1833-38,  eighty-two  ^\'  them  the  fruit  of  a 
revival  in  L838;  two  hundred  and  seventy-six  during 
the  pastorate,  1842-1853,  of  Rev.  Thomas  R  Fessenden, 
and  sixty-four  as  the  fruit  of  a  revival  at  its  outset  A 
revival  was  enjoyed  in  1855,  the  beginning  of  a  pastor- 
ate  by    Rev.  J.  A.   Priest,  and    in    1858,  the  year  of  its 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  425 

close;  sixty-five  were  received  to  the  church  during 
the  pastorate  of  liev.  Albert  Bigelow,  1858-1863,  and 
the  present  large,  substantial  and  elegant  church  edifice 
built.  Two  hundred  and  seventy- three  were  received 
to  the  church  daring  the  pastorate,  18G-J— 70,  of  Rev. 
Dr.  John  C.  llolbrook,  one  hundred  and  forty-eight  of 
them  as  the  fruit  of  a  revival  in  1868.  In  1871,  Rev. 
Wm.  A.  Robinson,  the  present  pastor,  entered  on  his 
charge,  and  up  to  1876,  received  seventy-eight  to  the 
communion  of  the  church. 

The  entire  admissions  are  2,287,  and  the  number  on 
a  thoroughly  purged  roll  in  1876,  is  three  hundred 
and  eighty-two.  Ten  of  the  members,  rttale  and  female, 
have  engaged  in  Home  and  Foreign  Mission  work,  and 
twenty  have  entered  the  ministry,  and  nearly  $50,000 
were  contributed  to  benevolent  objects  from  1840  to 
1876,  and  as  is  estimated,  $10,000  previously.  And 
rarely  has  a  church  so  impressed  a  community.  A* 
one  now  resident  at  a  distance  from  it  has  remarked: 

It  illustrated  more  fully  than  anything  I  have  Been,  the  moral 
power  of  the  church.  There  was  not  much  in  tin;  way  of  influ- 
ence <«f  any  sort  exerted  but  had  its  origin  in  it,  or  that  was  not 
largely  shaped  by  it.  There  were  a  few  of  the  baser  sort,  —  rep- 
robates, drunkards,  and  the  like, --but  how  separate  they  were, — 
how  distinctly  ami  sharply  was  their  place  assigned  to  tbem, 
while  the  vast  multitude  drew  their  guidance  and  received  their 
opinions  from  the  church.  With  the  great  mass  of  the  popula- 
tion, this  church  constituted  tin-  larger  part  of  life,     [n  thehouse< 

hold  in  which  1  WW  reared,  after  the  immediate  business  of  the 
day,  t  li«  re  Were  t  wo  unfailing  themes  of  thought  and  conversation 
— the    church  and    the  academy,  and   tln-y  weiv    not    separated    In 

regard  and  affection.  *  *  I  can  see  through  memory's  vision, 
the  long  lines  of  carriages  thai  converged  on  Sunday  mornings  from 

the  valley  north,  from  the  Sett    road,   from  East    Kiv.r.  from    the 

south,  each  containing  an  entire  household,  save  perhaps  one  mem 


426  rRESB  YTEItlANISM  IN  THE 

ber  left  to  guard  the  home,  bringing  up  in  the  long  row  of  sheds*, 
which,  unsightly  as  they  were,  had  a  beauty  in  the  eyes  of  a  lover 
of  God's  church,  such  as  no  "fretted  roof  or  long-drawn  aisle" 
could  afford.  The  wettest  day  in  Spring  or  Autumn,  and  the 
coldest  day  in  Winter  lessened  but  little  this  long. procession  of 
Sabbath  worshipers. 

The  Sunday  school  was  a  grand  institution  in  my  opinion.  It 
certainly  made  a  very  important  part  of  my  life.  I  recall  as  if  it 
were  yesterday,  the  rapid  and  clear  comments  of  Mr.  Wool  worth 
upon  the  lesson,  which  my  revered  father  had  studied  with  his 
children  the  night  previous, — his  quick  and  energetic  movements 
through  the  school, — the  bearing  of  a  man  born  to  command,  as 
many  of  us  realized  full  well  during  the  week. 

Rev.  Wm.  A.  Robinson,  present  pastor  of  the  church r 
"  names  four  prominent  sources  of  its  prosperity  and 
usefulness  :  1.  The  faithful  and  constant  maintenance 
of  the  sanctuary,  its  offices  and  ordinances.  But  two 
or  three  Sabbaths  have  been  recorded,  except  when  the 
church  edifice  has  been  under  repairs,  or  other  provi- 
dential causes  have  prevented,  but  that  public  worship 
was  maintained.  2.  The  thorough,  systematic  and  con- 
tinued instruction  and  training  of  the  young.  As  early 
as  1S03,  there  was  adopted  a  very  interesting  "plan  for 
the  improvement  of  youth  and  children  in  religion." 
This  contemplated  the  gathering  of  them,  with  their 
parents,  from  time  to  time,  for  catechetical  instruction 
by  the  pastor,  who  every  week-  met  the  children  of  some 
one  of  the  districts  in  the  town  for  this  purpose,  and 
to  whom  was  given  at  such  times,  "the  care  and  direc- 
tion of  the  children  with  respect  to  religious  literature 
and  behavior."  And  mention  is  continually  made  of 
methods  for  the  better  eulture  of  the  young.  A  com- 
mittee was  appointed  to  cooperate  with  the  pastor  in 
this  part  of  the  work,  and  s<>on  after,  they  wereappoint- 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  427 

ed  to  visit  the  district  schools  and  endeavor  to  give 
greater  effectiveness  to  them;  and  year  after  year,  cate- 
echists  were  chosen,  who  annually  presented  reports  of 
their  observations  and  doings,  and  in  1819  a  Sunday 
school  was  established.  3.  Prayer  and  conference 
meetings.  Sixteen  days  after  the  organization  of  the 
church  in  1801,  they  were  established  for  the  last 
Wednesday  of  every  month,  and  in  1804  the  day  was 
changed  to  the  Thursday  after  the  first  Sabbath,  and 
weekly  meetings  were  set  up,  held  successively  in  dif- 
ferent parts  of  the  town,  and  in  the  revival  of  1806  they 
were  merged  into  a  Thursday  meeting  every  week, 
which  has  proved  so  extraordinary  as  seldom  or  never 
to  be  surpassed  by  any  of  its  kind.  4.  Labor  for  revi- 
vals, with  the  expectation  of  enjoying  them,  thirteen  of 
these  of  great  power,  having  been  experienced,  and  the 
church  owing  itself  to  the  first  of  the  number. 

A  Reformed  (Dutch)  Church  was  formed  by  the  Rev. 

Mr.  Manly,  a  mile  from  Binghamton  (then  Chem 
Point)  on  the  east  Bide  of  the  Chenango.  The  upper 
room  of  the  minister's  house  was  the  place  of  assem- 
bling, and  was  so  well  fitted  up,  that  it  answered  its 
purpose  for  several  years.  Thechurch  shared  the  min- 
es with  the  church  al  Union.     An  interim 

occurred  between  Mr.  Manly's  retirement  and  the  com- 
ing of  Rev.  Mr.  Palmer,  but  this  gentleman's  presence 
quickened  thechurch,  which  bad  fallen  into  a  decline. 
When  he  left,  it  maintained  a  merely  nominal  existence, 
and  was  perpetuated  in  a  C  tional  Church,  formed 

in  1817  1 3  Rev.  Ebenezer  Kingsbury  and  Rev.  Joseph 
W'.hhI.  and  consisting  of  twenty  members, seventeen  of 


428  PRESBYTERIANISM  IN  TEE 

whom  were  women.  Rev.  Hezekiali  May  preached 
to  the  people  in  1815.  Rev.  Benjamin  Niles,  then  a 
licentiate,  took  his  place  in  1816,  and  in  1818  was  in- 
stalled pastor,  and  remained  nntil  his  death  July,  1828. 
The  church  first  united  with  the  Luzerne  Association, 
but  in  1821  this  body  was  merged  into  the  Presbytery 
of  Susquehannah,  and  the  church  at  Bingham  ton  was 
thus  brought  into  it,  putting  on  itself  the  Presbyterian 
form. 

On  the  18th  of  August,  1793,  a  church  of  seven 
members  was  organized  at  Oquago,  now  Windsor,  by 
Rev.  Benjamin  Jucld,  a  missionary  of  the  General  As- 
sembly, assisted  by  Rev.  Daniel  Buck.  For  some  time 
they  enjoyed  but  occasional  preaching,  and  principally 
by  such  missionaries  as  Seth  Williston,  David  narrow- 
er, Joel  T.  Benedict,  Joseph  Badger,  Joshua  Johnson, 
Samuel  Sargent  and  James  Jewell.  Rev.  Wm.  Stone 
also  frequently  labored  there,  between  179  L  and  1795. 
Rev.  Seth  Sage  removed  to  the  place  in  1800,  and  fre- 
quently officiated  there  and  in  the  vicinity  up  to  1807. 
.Rev.  Joel  Chapin  likewise  served  the  people  at  times. 
In  1800  the  church  was  reorganized  and  connected 
with  the  Morris  County  Associated  Presbytery,  and 
adopted  the  confession  of  Faith  and  Discipline  of  that 
body,  and  took  the  new  name  of  "The  Eastern  Presby- 
terian Church  in  Chenango.''  The  members  were  scat- 
tered over  the  territory  of  the  towns  of  Windsor  and 
Colesville,  and  worshiped  in  a  frame  building  erected 
for  an  Academy  at  "Windsor,  and  in  a  log  school-house 
in  Oolesville.  Rev.  Joseph  Wood,  its  only  pastor,  was 
installed  in  L816,  but  was  compelled  to  leave  by  failing 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  429 

health  in  1819.  In  1818,  a  house  of  worship  was  raised 
at  Cole's  hill,  which  though  vacated  by  the  expiring  of 
the  church,  in  1836  or  1837,  still  stands,  and  is  opened 
when  needed  and  desired,  for  other  denominations.  In 
1826,  it  placed  itself  under  the  care  of  the  Chenango 
Presbytery,  and  was  known  by  the  name  of  Colesville. 
It  never  flourished, — its  largest  membership  amounting 
to  only  forty-five.  Death  and  removals  sapped  it,  and 
aggravated  cases  of  discipline  made  breaches  upon  it. 

The  present  church  of  Windsor  was  an  offshoot,  in 
1812,  of  the  one  just  mentioned,  originally  Congrega- 
gational  and  connected  with  the  Luzerne  Association, 
in  1813,  but  borne  with  that  body  into  the  Presbytery 
of  Susquehannah.  In  1827,  it  was  transferred,  together 
with  the  Colesville  church,  to  the  Presbytery  of  Che- 
nango, and  assumed  the  Presbyterian  form  of  govern- 
ment 

Few  additions  were  made  to  the  mother  church  on 
this  field  from  17(.»."  to  1810.  A  precious  revival  then 
occurred.  Rev.  Messrs.  Benedict  and  Harrower  preach- 
ing and  laboring  during  the  progress  of  it.  Another 
followed  in  1  B23,  Rev.  Samuel  Manning  being  the 
minister  then,  and  the  special  work  <>f  grace  was  re- 
peated in  L830  ls-'il  and  in  L84  1.  At  the  "disrup- 
tion" iii  L 837, twenty-eight  orthirty  of  the  members 
ceded  and  were  constituted  a  church  by  the  Presbytery 
«.f  Susquehannah.  The  two  parties  combined  in  ls~>*_'. 
and  united  with  the  Presbyterj  of  Albany,    0  S       the 

<  >.  S.  pari  having  been  previously  connected  with  the 

<  laledonia  Presbytery . 

New  Jersey  emigrants,  with  a  few   from  Nen  Eng 
land,  settled  Union  about  L790.     A  Reformed  (Dutch) 


430  PRESBYTERIANISM  IN  THE 

Church  was  formed  at  an  early  day,  and  a  house  of 
worship  erected  in  1796.  This  latter  Dr.  Williston 
describes  as  a  "small  building,"  "but  it  had  none  of 
the  external  appearances  of  a  sanctuary.*'  "  I  believe 
it  was  the  only  house  devoted  to  the  worship  of  God 
west  of  Kortright,  in  Delaware  county.''  Mr.  Manly 
was  the  first  minister,  preaching  at  Binghamton  on 
alternate  Sundays,  and  Mr.  Palmer  followed  him, 
continuing  to  serve  Binghamton  likewise.  When  Mr. 
Palmer  left,  the  church  declined,  many  of  the  mem- 
bers removing  to  other  places.  In  1822,  it  adopted 
Presbyterianism,  or  a  Presbyterian  Church  was  con- 
structed from  its  relics.  Stated  supplies  served  it  until 
1824,  when  Eev.  John  W.  Ward  undertook  a  pas- 
torate, and  sustained  it  until  1831.  Eev.  Ira  Smith 
intervened  as  a  stated  supply  between  him  and  the  in- 
stallation of  the  Rev.  Jonathan  Rowland,  in  1834. 
Eev.  II.  J.  Gaylord  succeeded  Mr.  Rowland  in  1842, 
and  remained  until  1847.  The  menbership  was  104  in 
1830,  206  in  1833,  220  in  Ml,  and  123  in  1875.  Ee- 
peated  revivals  blessed  it, — one  of  unusual  power  at 
the  beginning  of  Mr.  Ward's  connection  with  it,  and 
frequently  in  less  degree  until  its  close,  so  that  scarcely 
a  communion  season  passed  during  his  stay  without  the 
reception  of  recent  converts.  One  hundred  and  sixteen 
were  added  to  it  in  1832,  Mr.  Smith  being  pastor  then, 
as  the  result  of  a  protracted  meeting  conducted  by 
Jedediah  Burchard,  bul  in  many  of  the  cases  it  was 
subsequently  regarded  by  the  session  as  a  hasty  act. 
Two  or  three  droppings  of  grace  promoted  its  growth 
during  Mr.  [lowland's  term,  and  in  1843,  while  Mr. 
Gaylord  was  pastor,  aboul  thirty  were  brought  in  by  a 
special  visitation  of  the  Spirit. 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YOUK.  ^481 

New  a  ijk  Valley  (originally  "Brown's  Settlement") 
was  colonized  in  1791,  by  emigrants  from  Stockbridge, 
Mass.,  a  church-going  people,  who  immediately  began 
church  services,  and  came  to  them  from  their  seattered 
abodes,  in  the  newly  thinned  woods,  in  ox-carts,  on 
horseback  and  afoot.  A  Congregational  organization 
was  formed  in  1803,  and  placed,  in  1811,  under  the 
name  then  of  Western,  in  the  care  of  the  Presbytery 
of  Cayuga.  Soon  after  it  was  called  Berkshire,  and  in 
the  division  of  the  town  of  Berkshire,  it  was  called 
Newark.  Rev.  Jeremiah  Osborne  was  its  first  pastor, 
beginning  in  1806,  and  closing  in  1819.  Rev.  Marcus 
Ford  succeeded  him  in  1820,  and  remained  until  death 
called  him  away  forty  years  after.  The  church  has 
been  a  vine  of  the  Lord's  own  planting  and  tending, 
kept  in  constant  fruitage  and  with  frequent  seasons  of 
remarkable  prolificness  ;  1830-31  most  distinguished  it 
in  this  respect,  one  hundred  and  seven  being  its  pro- 
duct It  has  multiplied  itself  fourfold,  Richford,  Berk- 
shire and  Newark  'id  proceeding  from  it. 

A  few  familiescame  to  M.\i:<  i.i.u  -  in  17'.'.'i  or  17(.M. 
In  1795,  Dan  Bradley,  previously  pastor  of  the  church 
in  New  Eartford,  but  who  exchanged  the  ministry 
Cor  agriculture  and  civil  life,  and  became  conspic- 
uous as  a  farmer  and  Berved  as  County  Judge,  removed 
bo  the  t<.\vn.  and  also  Deacon  Samuel  Rice  Public 
worship  was  thereupon  established,  and  in  l^nl  a  I 
gregational  Church.  For  some  time  the  only  ministers 
who  served  H  were  missionaries  out  on  their  tours. 
Among  them  was  Dr.  Williston,  and  during  his  tran- 
sient labors  a  revival  occurred.     In   IS06,  it  combined 


432  PRESB  7  TERIA  NISM  EV  T11E 


with  Skaneateles  for  the  support  of  a  minister.  Rev. 
Levi  Parsons,  a  licentiate  from  Massachusetts,  casualty 
visited  the  place  in  1806,  and  in  1S07  was  settled  there, 
and  remained  for  twenty-five  years.  The  church  formed 
no  ecclesiastical  connection  until  181 1,  when  it  joined  the 
Presbytery  of  Cayuga.  Kev.  John  Tompkins  followed 
Mr.  Parsons,  after  an  interval  of  two  years,  which  Be  v. 
Levi  Griswold  spent  with  it.  Mr.  Tompkins'  pastorate 
had  reached  the  term  of  his  predecessor's  to  a  dayr 
when  death  brough  it  to  a  close.  Several  revivals  of 
religion  have  marked  its  career,  particularly  in  1820r 
1826,  1831  and  1844. 

A  church  of  sixteen  members  was  formed  at  Skan- 
eateles in  1801,  by  Kev.  Aaron  Bascom,  missionary  of 
the  Hampshire  Society,  Mass.  It  was  first  known  as  the 
M  Marcellus  First  Church,"  Skaneateles  lying  originally 
in  the  town  of  Marcellus.  In  common  witli  its  sister 
churches  in  that  region,  it  joined  the  Middle  Associa- 
tion at  its  organization,  and  was  a  member  of  it  when 
that  body  was  converted  into  the  Cayuga  and  Onondaga 
Presbyteries,  and  retained  the  form  of  Congregational- 
ism until  1818,  when  it  changed  to  Presbyterian  ism. 
It  was  supplied  at  first  by  traveling  missionaries,  and 
by  Rev.  Messrs.  Thomas  Bobbins,  Benjamin  Bell,  An- 
drew Ransom  and  Ira  M.  Olds.  Rev.  Nathanael  Swift 
was  the  first  pastor,  installed  in  1811,  but  he  remained 
only  a  single  year,  and  was  soon  after  deposed  and  ex- 
communicated. Rev.  Benjamin  Rice  entered  on  the 
charge  in  1S13,  and  left  it  in  1817.  He  was  followed 
by  Rev.  .Messrs.  Benjamin  B.  Stockton,  1S18-1822,  Alex- 
ander M.  Cowan,  1822-1828,  Samuel  W.  Brace,  1830- 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  [:',:) 

1848.  A  house  of  worship,  quite  elegant  for  the  day,  was 
erected  a  little  east  of  the  village,  in  1807,  and  a  more 
commodious  one  in  1830,  on  a  central  site.  The  village 
is  one  of  the  most  charming  in  the  country,  and  was 
always  distinguished  by  the  social  position  of  its  inhabi- 
tants, and  by  the  prominence  of  manjr  of  them  in  the 
surrounding  region  and  in  the  State.  The  church  has 
been  made  conspicuous  by  the  displays  of  the  Spirit, 
particularly  in  Mr.  Brace's  day,  during  which  several 
special  effusions  baptized  it  and  a  continuous  influence 
was  exerted  upon  it. 

ELLBRIDGE    is  a  part   of    the  old   military   tow;. 
Cam  ill  us.     A   church  of  .-oxen    members    was   organ- 
ized there  by  Dr.  Williston,  in  1800,  known  for  many 
pears    as   the    Congregational    Church    of    Camillus, 
First  connected  with  the  Middle  Association,  it  passed 
with  the  part  of  that  body  that  constituted  the  Cayuga 
Presbytery  into  that  ecclesiastical  connection.      It  wa- 
its  day   of  small   things  for  ten   year-,   no  permanent 
minister  laboring  with  it  for  that   Long  space.     R  v. 
Benjamin  Bell  acted  as  stated  supply  in  1810—1 1.     Re> . 
Jabes  Chadwick followed  him.  and  Rev. Stephen  I' 
was  engaged,  part  of  the  time  as  pastor,  from  IS24   to 
1S27.     Rev.  Timothy  Stow  had  charge  from  1828 
lv;;.">?  and  then  gave  way  to  Rev.  Medad  Pomeroy,who 

held    it    until    1-1".      The    Holy   Spirit    attended   these 

different  laborers,  and  in  an  especially  notable  manner 

in  lsl7  and  lsL;."».  but  mosl  eminently  in  1831. 

Ogdensbi  rg  occupies  the  natural  site  of  an  import- 
ant town.  This  the  observant  eyeofthe  Abbe 


434  PRESBYTERIANISM  IN  THE 

perceived,  and  in  1748  he  built  Fort  Presentation  there. 
and  made  it  the  centre  of  operations  in  this  region,  and 
soon  gathered  a  colony  of  three  thousand  souls.  The 
British  took  possession  of  it  at  the  conquest  of  the 
French  in  1760.  After  the  achievement  of  our  Na- 
tional Independence,  and  on  the  settlement  of  bounda- 
ries between  our  country  and  Great  Britain  under  Jay's 
treaty  in  1795,  it  was  delivered  to  the  United  States. 
The  modern  settlement  was  begun  in  1796,  under 
Judge  Nathan  Ford,  agent  of  Samuel  Ogden,  proprietor 
of  the  land,  and  from  whom  the  place  took  its  name, 
but  it  was  hindered  for  a  couple  of  years  by  the  inter- 
ference of  Canadian  claimants  of  the  title.  Mr.  Ogden 
married  the  sister  of  Gouverneur  Morris,  and  was  father 
of  David  B.  Ogden,  the  distinguished  lawyer  of  New 
York.  He  lived  at  Trenton,  N.  J.,  for  a  time,  but 
moved  to  Newark,  N.  J.,  where  he  died  in  1818. 
The  portions  of  the  village  plot  unsold  in  1808  were 
bought  by  David  Parish,  and  measures  were  immedi- 
ately taken  to  make  it  the  peer,  if  not  the  superior,  of 
any  town  on  the  lake.  The  war  of  1812  \vas  disas- 
trous to  it,  but  recovering  from  that,  it  attained  to  the 
dignity  of  an  incorporation  in  1817,  and  despite  two 
large  fires  rose  higher  still,  and  is  now  a  city  of  ten 
thousand  inhabitants.  The  church  was  formed  in  1805, 
under  the  name  of  the  First  Church  and  Congregation 
of  Christ  in  the  Town  of  Oswegatchie,  and  a  subscrip- 
tion drawn  up  engaging  $393  a  year,  payable  semi-an- 
nually, to  any  minister  who  might  be  employed.  In 
1806,  Rev.  John  Younglove  was  called,  and  the  church 
taken  into  the  Presbytery  of  Oneida, — but  Mr.  Young- 
love  was  never  installed,  though  lie  preached   to  the 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  435 

people  for  a  time,  much  to  their  satisfaction.  liev.  Mr. 
Smart,  of  Brookvale,  afterwards  served  them  occasion- 
ally, but  so  seldom  were  they  favored  with  preaching, 
down  to  1811,  that  a  resident  for  eleven  months  in 
1807,  says  he  never  heard  but  two  sermons  during  that 
period,  and  both  of  them  on  one  Sunday.  Rev.  Com- 
fort Williams  labored  among  them  in  1811,  and  was 
ordained  by  the  Presbytery  of  Oneida  with  a  view  to 
his  being  installed.  The  war  of  1812  prevented  this, 
however,  and  though  much  esteemed,  Mr.  Williams 
was  compelled  to  leave.  Rev.  Mr.  Gerry,  of  Denmark, 
was  afterwards  heard  for  several  Sabbaths,  and  then  in- 
vited  to  the  pastorate ;  nut  the  Presbytery  did  not  deem 
it  proper  to  release  him  from  the  charge  he  held.  The 
vacancy  in  the  pulpit  continued  until  1819,  a  clergy- 
man seldom  occupying  it.  On  Judge  John  Fine's  re- 
moving to  the  village  in  1817,  a*  vigorous  correspond- 
ence was  carried  on  to  secure  a  minister,  but  short  visits 
from  one  and  another  were  all  that  could  be  obtained. 
Lay  services,  however,  were  regularly  conducted, — 
Judge  Fine  reading  the  sermons,  and  Mr.  Nathanael 
Smith  Leading  the  devotions.  Judge  Fine  made  a  thor- 
ough census  of  the  members  of  the  church  with  the 
view  to  perfecting  its  organization,  which  had  been  left 
incomplete,  but  only  thirty  professing  Christians,  of  all 
denominations,  could   be  discovered  in  the  town.     In 

Is!!1,  when    the    population  was    a  thousand,   Rev.    Bar 

nabaa  Bruin,  a  Tutor  in  Union  College,  came  to  the 
village  ou  the  recommendation  of  President  Nott,  and 
was  oordiallj  greeted.  The  first  church  edifice  was 
then  built  at  a  »•<  >.-t  of  $600,  and  the  church  organization 
reconstructed  and  made  thoroughly  Presbyterian,  and 


•  1 .'  1 1 1  PRESB  YTERIANISM  IN  THE 

put  under  the  rare  of  the  Presbytery  of  St.  Lawrence. 
Soon  after  Mr.  Bruin's  health  failed,  and  he  went  to 
Connecticut,  where  he  died.  Kev.  Isaac  Clinton  fol- 
lowed him,  but  remained  only  a  single  year.  In  1821 
Rev.  James  McAuley  took  charge  of  the  church  and 
was  followed  by  Key.  James  B.  Ambler  as  stated  sup- 
ply for  three  years,  and  by  Rev.  Elizur  G-.  Smith  as 
pastor  for  nearly  three  years,  beginning  February,  1829, 
and  by  Rev.  J.  A.  Savage,  D.  D.,  as  stated  supply  and 
pastor  from  January.  1832,  to  September,  1850, — 
nearly  nineteen  years.  The  present  pastor,  Be  v.  L. 
Merrill  Miller,  D.  D.,  began  service  in  Ma}',  1851.  In 
1825  a  division  of  the  church  occurred,  one  portion  of 
it  remaining  in  the  house  of  worship  previously  occu- 
pied and  retaining  the  minister,  and  the  other  resorting 
to  the  court  house  and  calling  in  ministers  from  Sunday 
to  Sunday  as  they  could  be  procured.  The  offices  of 
the  Synod  were  invoked  to  heal  the  breach,  and  with 
the  happiest  result.  The  tabernacle  of  1819  wras  super- 
seded in  1825  by  a  substantial  sanctuary,  and  that  was 
afterwards  enlarged.  More  room  still  was  soon  required, 
and  a  new  congregation  was  proposed  in  1857,  and  a 
site  for  a  second  house  of  worship  purchased,  and  some 
progress  made  towards  obtaining  funds  for  the  building. 
l)Ht  only  a  few  families  were  willing  to  leave  for  an- 
other church,  and  the  scheme  was  necessarily  relin- 
quished  In  ls<'»7.  a  virtually  new  sanctuary,  of  blue 
limestone  from  tin1  base  to  the  spire,  which  rises  190  ft. 
was  built  It  is  78  ft  by  108  ft  with  1200  sittings, 
solid,  spacious  and  symmetrical,  and  of  the  pointed 
Gothic  style  of  architecture.  A  Sundayschool  room, 'a 
chapel,  and  a  pastor's   study,  all  of   the  same    material. 


SYyOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  437 

are  attached  to  it,  the  whole  costing  $60,000,  and  all 
paid  up.  The  manifest  seal  of  the  Spirit  has  been  re- 
peatedly affixed  to  the  church:  59  were  added  to  it  in 
1852;  61  in  1808;  58  in  1860;  U  in  1674,  and  in 
other  years  27,  30,  36,  38,  and  42,  and  114  during  Mr. 
McAuley's  ministry  of  nearly  six  years.  Much  account 
has  been  madeof  Sunday  schools, — the  first  in  the  region 
having  been  instituted  here  in  1820.  Six  of  them  have 
been  connected  with  the  church,  and  three  remain  to 
the  present  day.  The  spirit  of  benevolence  has  been 
cherished,  and  the  exercise  of  it  practiced.  In  1S17  a 
few  ladies  formed  an  association  to  distribute  Bibles 
throughout  the  t  wn.  and  in  the  town  of  Lisbon. 
Female  Missionary  Society  was  also  organized  at  an 
early  day,  and  the  systematic  circulation  of  tracts  un- 
dertaken; while  the  Dorcas  Society  is  an  established 
institution  of  ever  active  usefulness.  The  total  of  col- 
lections for  foreign  objects  during  the  last  twenty-four 
years,  have  been  nearly  $32,000,  and  nearly  $138 
have  been  spent  for  the  congregation;  1*1  from  the 
congregation  enlisl  »ldiers  and  were  commissioned 

•fficers  in  the  army  of  the  Union  when  battling 
the  Union,  and  l'1  from   the  church,  as  ministers  and 
missionaries,  are  leadersof  the  sacramenta]  host-.     The 

i  for  1  v7*"»  i- :   111   sermons,  235  leel 
and  addr  -  communion  Bervices,  37  baptismal 

dresses,  40  marrii  I  funerals,  and  an  annual  aver- 

■  if  Too  visits. 

Watkktou  \  derives  its  name  from  Its  waterpower, 
which  compares  well  with  that  of  any  other  town  in  the 
State,  and  to  this  air  due  its  early  settlement  and  rapid 


438  PUKHBYTER1AN18M  IN  T11K 

growth  and  large  business  and  wealth,  while  at  the  - 
time,  its  great  beauty,  natural  and  artificial,  is  a  strong 
attraction  to  the  place.     The  Oneida  tribe  held  the 
Indian  title  to  the  lands  in  this  section  of  the  country. 
That  \va>  extinguished  by  the  treaty  with  the  Six  >.- 
tions  al  Fort  Stanwix,  in  1784,  and  the  site  of  Water- 
town  was  included  in  the  u  Macomb  Purchase,"  which 
was   afterwards  subdivided   into  smaller  and  smaller 
parcels,  until  finally  large  proprietorships  ceased,  and 
the  .land  was  held  by  the  owners  of  farms  and 
The  firsl  settlers,  mostly  from  Oneida  county,  came  in 
L 800,  and  without  capital  from  abroad  and^iltogether 
by  earnings  on  the  spot,  it    has  become  a  city  of  over 
L0,000  inhabitants,  with  an  amounl  of  wealth  largely 
in  excess  of  the  ordinary  proportion  thai   exists  else- 
where, and  as  superior  in   the  way  in  which  it  is  laid 
out  and  built,  and  in  the  extent  of  its  business  and  th( 
amounl  of   its  thrift     Missionaries,   principally  from 
NTew  England,  visited  it  from  time  to  time,  beginning 
with  its  settlement     In   the  spring  of  1803,  a  Coi 
gational  Church  was  formed   by  Rev.   Eleazer  LaSalh 
in  the  barn  of  Caleb  Burnham  at  Burnville,  composed 
of  fifteen  members,  and  during  the  ensuing  summer, 
services  were  held  at  the  bouse  of  John    Blevin.    Mis- 
sionaries and  visiting  clergymen  wen-  the  only  preachers 
beard  until  1815,  when  Rev.  David  Bank  was  installed 
\\c\^'  in  connection  with    Rutland,  and  remained  until 
1821.     The  church  adopted   Presbyterianism  then  and 
called  Rev.  Q-eorge  S.  Boardman,  who  left  in  1837,  and 
was  immediately  succeeded  by  Rev.  Isaac  Brayton,  who 
remained  until  1^'il.     The  Presbytery  of  Watertown 
records   February   23d,    1837:  -The'  requesl    of    Mr. 


SYNOD  OF  VENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  439 

lJoardman  for  dismission  from  his  pastoral  charge,  was 
taken  up.  The  following  persons  appeared  as  commis- 
sioners from  the  church  and  congregation  :  John  Clark, 
Albert  I*.  Brayton,  Adriel  Ely,  Jeremiah  Boll  and  Job 
Sawyer.  They  presented  their  credentials  and  instruc- 
tions to  use  their  influence  and  exertions  to  induce  the 
Presbytery  to  refuse  the  application.  Mi-.  Boardman 
then  presented  his  reasons  for  the  request,  after  which 
the  commissioners  stated  their  reasons  in  opposition  to  it 
After  some  discussion,  it  was  resolved  thai  this  question 
lie  deferred  until  the  next  meeting  of  Presbytery,  and 
that  tlie  clerk  notify  the  churches  of  this  delay,  and 
thai  it  was  owing  to  tin,'  small  uumber present"  March 
8,  1837,  the  Presbytery  record  :  "  The  application  of  Mr. 
Boardman  lor  a  dismission  was  taken  up.  In  his  ab- 
sence, a  letter  from  him  to  Mr.  Hunt  was  read,  exp] 
ing  a  strong  conviction  thai  it  was  his  duty  t«»  <j<>  to 
Rochester,  and  the  hope  that  the  church  and  the  Pres- 
bytery would  see  it  to  he  their  duty  to  acquiesce  in  this 
conviction.  The  Commissioners  present,  Messrs.  Holt. 
Brayton  and  Ely,  were  heard  in  opposition  to  the  appli- 
cation. A  motion  was  made  thai  Mr.  Boardman's  requesl 
ranted.  After  a  full  and  tender  discussion,  in  whi<  1 
the  deepesl  regrets  were  unanimouslj  expressed  at  th< 
idea  of  this  brother's  removal,  the  motion  was  carried, 
and  Mr.  Boyd  appointed  to  declare  the  pulpit  vacant" 
January  L2,  L864,  the  Presbytery  record  :  "  Rev.  [saa< 
Brayton  requested  a  dissolution  of  the  pastoral  rela- 
tion between  him  and  the  First  Church  of  Waterto 
on  account  of  his  own  health  and  the  health  of  his 
wife.     Solon   Massey,  Robert   Lan  John  Clark 

B,  rpham,  E.  Elager,  and   Eli   Farewell  appeared  as  a 


FMBSBYTKR1A318M  IS  THE 

imittee  on  the  part  of  the  congregation,  who  state! 

:he  congregation  were  very  reluctantly  constrained 

to  unite  with  their  pastor  in  this  reqn   - 

it  w  a       -   Ived  that  the  request  of  Mr.   Brayton  be 

granted.      On  motion,  resolv        I     I  the  papers  pre- 

the  conimi-  _     _    - 

hmch  be  entered  in  full  on  the 

-     :  the  Presbj  They  ar-     - 

-   a  meeting  of  the  congregation  of  the  First  Presbyterian 
Church,  on  Monday,  December  S  clock  P.  m  ,  John  Clsirk 

was  called  to  the  chair,  and  G.  R.  Hanford  appointed  Secretary. 
J.  B.  Syler  introduced  a  resolution,  as  follovr- 

Whereaa,  The  Rev.  Isaac  Brayton,  D.  D..  has  officiated  as  p 
of  this  church  during  the  past  twenty-sis  years  with  distinguished 
fidelity,  and  with  the  profound  respect  and  love  of  his  congregation 
— circumstances  beyond  the  control  of  either  minister  or  people, 
render  it  necessary  that  the  tie,  thus  sanctioned  and  blessed,  and 
which  otherwise  might  have  continued  till  death  had  sealed  his 
-tv,  should  be  dissolved.     In  the  Providence  of  God,  this 
-hepherd.     We  must  not,  can  not  part  with 
him  withoat  making  this  record  of  our  appreciation  of  his  char- 
and  services.     He  has  administed  the  duties  of  his  office 
iu  the  fear  of  God,  and  with  the  earnestness  of  an  Apostle  of 
Jesas  Christ.     Had  we  been  as  faithful  to  ourselves  as  he  has 
been    to      -  -  _     .        a,  though   separated   now,   would 

all  be  united  to  him  hereaf:  :-plore  our  loss,  and  the 

circumstances  rendering  it  necessary  :  the  declining  health  cf 
both  the  pastor  and  his  devoted  wife,  who  during  a  large  part  cf 
his  ministry,  has  rejoiced  with  him  when  he  rejoiced,  and  wept 
with  him  when  he  wept,  and  has  so  faithfully  joined  with  him  in 
its  duties,  bearing  with  examplary  patience  and  fortitude  the 

..g  malady  from  which  she  has  almost  continually  suffered 
for  many  years.     They  will  carry  with  them  our  gratitude  and 
on,  and  our  prayers  for  their  restoration  to  health,  and  that 
the  choicest  of  God's  blessings  may  rest  upon  them  ;  and  tbs 
may  meet  them  again  where  "  sickness  and  sorrow,  pain  and  : 

Therefore, 


TRAL  FEW  YORK. 

'.■■■'  T'.-i:  ~-r  i:r  :■■!  =  ::■:■  :iri  ■:  -i."  -.-  ^77  :  :  ;  i-: : :  .:. 
Lir   :-,---■    ■      ■"_■?  P:r-":.  j'.-rrj    7:    i  :.  =  >: 7-7  i    :.7_t    :i-::-i 

J.-'  7-  •;  7"_:.:  r?  '.  l  M---J  7.  7±:r~r'.  ;.:.-:;  7i.i-:_- 
C.  D.  Morgan.  John  Clark,  S.  B.  Upham  and  EL  Hagar,  be  Com 
missioners  to  represent  this  church  and  congregation  aft  the  next 

:_tt-.:  j     :   7:r7  -■:-:-  <  _•:  -; 

JOffi  RK. 

(i.  R.  Hjlstord, 

7..-  _:7-:-.ji-:   LiT7_r  7-ttL  ::"ji;  :■  .i-.ri  i  : :  -  ~. .-.:~t  :; 
:7  xi^vj;.:.    _  -■-    :7_  ;    ::  ii   7_7   7:  _—    : :    _:..:r  — .:'_   ;  _:  7T 
tared  Pastor,  the  Rev.  Isaac  Brayton,  D.  D.,  in  asking  Pre* 
: :   I  --■  ■>:  7.t  ;.  1-:   r7_  :7.i:     i    «•:  7  i  j  ii  i  -:  7j.;  ;  7j  -7:- .»:     _ 
between  him  and  the  people  are  represent ,  take  this  occasion  to  far , 
-7.i:  "■'.,,■:  ■-■:    '..-■  :i  J.  j  7-  ..,•-  7„  -  ;  _:~    i:  7  :'_:•::.::  ~_"7. 
Lin.    rVri  :    :7  77  j  i.«-:._  j  7_.f  7  •';■'   :     ::n;   '..  -  --•_  .--:    ;  -:  —  - 
most  be  permitted  to  say,  for  ourselres  and  for  the  entire  body 
•  i  7.7.  =    7_-::7    iii    .::::r:-.:/:.  i:.i    —  r    i  —  -r    -._.«       --  i  .■ 
ul7:-:  :•    :    :7i:    :  :«  :  l>  il  i  s:  ~:7  -i".";-    7-~::i_sr     ^:7-:-.  -'  .  - 
?■--.  :'   r:7:j'...L^'..7.i       :.::::r7v;7.-     ■- 1  7^...:  j  7-^77   i.i  '. 
:7  frrL:::   :.v_---.:j   .    r   7'.?   :•.-•._    •.:.•  17-;     rri/:    :.  :     i  ■_    :- 
.:::-:.:^  :..:_.;.:-    7...-.:  ~ ,-  .  _.;    7:.vr    ;■-:.«- i-.ri    ::    :•::_;;•    7...? 
\>  i'.r.-.'Z.  7rf   :r  v-    ;...->.       Wr   7<7    iiirri    ::--:r.   7_~:    7_.r 
:r7*.:   l  :i  :  l~:    :   t:  :    ;  -    ;  7    ;>   .-.  7..-   •  \  -*.-7  r.    ^    f  :    7.::.    -: 
ats.  had  man j  more  years  to  run  before  the  infir- 
:_•.:. r-     f  ;._••-  ■■•    .7:     ..•■•  -    ii_     ..«'_-:   L.z.   :      — :    7  -    7    _-■. 
order:  and  we  hoped  that  he  might  go  in  and  oat  before  this  peo- 
:  7  -.:.:- ,.?;  .._:     ..-  7.r  '.  ;-.■ ..:     f  77     .    :  i  7  —   :-*.  7:     .■  .:..-.- 
to  adTanced  age.    Ton  will  not  deem  it  necessary  for  as  to 
-..;•--.•.:::.-:•    •.;     ;.    :-  :'.rr^  u-  i:. :     _:      7   ?••  .    --...     l:  ■':   .-.-.•-• 
has  been  of  the  most  intimate  and  endearing  kind:  •'..&:  wn 
uerer  ceased  to  lore  him  and  confide  in  him  from  the  day  that  he 
came  here  a  young  man,  fresh  from  the  schools,  to  assume  the 
and  responsibilities  of  this  large  church  and  congregation. 
r  can  we  beli  b  and  our  children 

single  day.  ceased  to  be  the  objects  of  his  lore,  his  unremitting 
care,  and  fa 

the  assurance  of  our  best  wishes  for  his  future  welfare,  and  our 
prayers  for  the  complete  restoration  to  health  of  himself  and 


442  PRESBYTER1ASISM  IX  THE 

family,  while  we  shall  hope,  that  wherever  God  in  his  Providence 
may  assign  them  their  residence  and  their  sphere  of  usefulness, 
we  may  continue  to  share  in  their  fraternal  and  christian  sym- 
pathies. It  only  remains  for  us  to  ask  that  our  consent  hereby 
given  with  the  accompanying  statement  of  our  reasons  for  so 
•doing,  may  appear  together  on  the  minutes  of  your  body. 

Singed, 
JOHN  CLARK,  E.  HAG  AH, 

ROBERT  LANSING,  SOLON  MAS8EY 

S.  B.  UPHAM,  ELI  FARWELL. 

Rev.  J.  Jermain  Porter,  I).  1).,  entered  on  the  pastor- 
ship of  tlie  church  in  1868,  and  is  still  prosperously 
prosecuting  it.  The  brick  academy,  erected  in  1811  on 
the  site  of  the  present  house  of  worship,  in  connection 
wit! i  the  Court  House,  accommodated  the  congregation 
until  1820,  when  a  stone  edifice  was  erected  on  the  site 
of  the  present  elegant  edifice,  which  was  erected  1851. 
at  an  expense  of  $20,000.  The  communicants  of  the 
church  now  number  nearly  four  hundred. 

Mention  ought  to  have  been  made  of  the  "  BREWER 
Fund,"  in  connection  with  what  was  said  of  the  provi- 
sion for  feeble  churches  and  destitute  fields.  In  1857. 
Mr.  William  Brewer,  of  Litchfield,  Herkimer  county. 
after  certain  special  bequests,  devised  the  residue  of  his 
estate,  amounting  to  about  $6,000,  to  the  Presbytery  of 
Utica,  directing  that  it  should  be  invested  in  bonds  and 
mortgages,  and  the  interest  applied  to  the  maintenance 
of  Christian  ordinances  in  the  church  at  Litchfield  as 
long  as  that  church  remained  in  connection  with  the 
Presbytery  and  employed  a  minister  acceptable  to  it ; 
and  on  the  failure  of  either,  the  Presbytery  is  authorized 
to  apply  the  interest  to  any  feeble  church  or  vacant  field 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  443 

under  its  care  or  in  connection  with  the  General  As- 
sembly. It  has  proved  a  very  useful  investment,  the 
proceeds  securing  the  church  at  Litchfield  all  the  sup- 
ply it  has  since  received,  and  likewise  furnishing  a  con- 
siderable sum  for  distribution  among  places  that  needed 
help.  Church  funds  are  of  at  least  doubtful  expediency 
where  the  people  are  able  to  support  the  ministry,  but 
an  eligible  opportunity  for  legacies  and  gifts  is  offered 
by  permanent  endowments  for  particular  dependent 
congregations,  and  for  a  particular  class  of  dependent 
congregations. 

The  N.  Y.  Observer,  having  a  statement  of  the  prin- 
ciples and  faith  of  the  Oneida  (N.  Y.)  and  Walling- 
ford  (Ct.)  communists  before  it,  thus  sets  them  forth,  so 
tar  as  decency  will  permit,  followed  by  reprehensive 

comment : 

1.  God  is  dual,  male  and  female,  and  creation  is  an  act  of  (Jod's 
faith. 

2.  The  institution  of  marriage,  which  assigns  one  man  to  one 
woman,  does  not  exist  in  the  community  of  perfect  people  which 
they  call  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  Complex  marriage  takes  the 
place  of  simple,  and  all  helievers  are  members  one  of  another. 

3.  A  community  of  goods  is  essential  to  the  oneness  of  believers, 
and  then-  is  no  distinction  between  community  in  person  and  in 
property.  This  unity  abolishes  all  separateness  into  families,  and 
makes  fredom  tin-  great  principle  of  social  relations 

I.  Shame  was  the  COnseqaence  of  the  fall,  and  is  irrational  and 
factitious  ;   therefore   it  is  unknown    where   the   -•  see,   having  be- 

come  holy,  enjoy  perfect  freedom. 

These    principles   ftre  explained,    and   texts    of   Scripture   taken 

out  of  their  connection  in  a  manner  hardly  less  than  blasphemous, 
are  quoted  t<»  prove  thai  Christ  and  bis  Apostles  held  these  doc* 

nines  I  They  are  further  supported  1>\  t lie  sent inient  of  many 
WllO  have  not  adopted  the  '  Community  of  goods,"  but  are  led  to  the 


-±41  PRESBYTERIANISMJN  THE 

belief  that  when  the  whole  being  is  sanctified,  it  is  impossible  for 
the  being  to  sin  ;  all  the  desires  being  holy,  the  acts  carrying  out 
those  desires  must  also  be  right.  Licentiousness  is  the  immedi- 
ate, legitimate,  natural  result  of  this  doctrine.  And  many  of  the 
modern  disciples  of  this  school  find  proof  in  the  analogies  of  the 
marriage  relation,  so  often  employed  in  the  Bible  to  represent  the 
intimate  relation  of  Christ  and  the  believer,  which  they  think 
justifies  and  encourages  them  to  be  thus  related  to  each  other. 

The  location  of  the  Community  is  in  Madison  county, 
four  miles  south  of  the  pretty  and  flourishing  village  of 
Oneida, — or  rather  the  dwellings  and  principal  farm 
buildings  are  here,  and  the  farm  and  shops  in  the  town 
of  Verona,  near  by.  It  numbers  between  two  hundred 
and  three  hundred,  distributed  between  its  headquar- 
ters and  Willow  Place,  a  mile  and  a  quarter  distant, 
and  at  Wallingford,  Ct.  It  was  founded  by  John  EL 
Noyes,  a  graduate  of  Dartmouth  and  once  a  Congrega- 
tional minister,  who  first  fell  off  into  ordinary  perfec- 
tionism and  then  dropped  into  this  form  and  sequent  of 
it.  He  is  a  man  of  superior  parts  and  acquirements, 
and  an  ingenious  sophist.  For  a  time,  it  was  likely  to 
collapse  and  suffer  financial  wreck,  but  passing  the 
crisis,  it  has  gone  on  in  remarkable  thrift.  It  started 
with  a  capital  of  $100,000,  and  now  has  half  a  million,  and 
this  increases  constantly  and  fast.  Great  skill  is  shown 
in  the  manufacture  of  small  articles.  Trap-making  es- 
pecially has  been  a  great  success,  employing  one  hun- 
dred operatives.  Fruit  raising  and  canning  have  also 
been  exceedingly  prosperous  and  profitable.  Sewing- 
silk  and  ribbons  are  likewise  made  in  great  quantities 
and  perfection,  one  hundred  persons  being  engaged  in 
it.  principally  women  and  girls  living  in  the  vicinity. 
Still  further,  hags  of  every  variety,  satchels,  sacks — trav- 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  445 

cling,  lunch,  &C.,  &c,  are  largely  manufactured,  and 
disposed  of  at  a  fine  profit  There  are  a  machine  shop, 
a  foundry,  a  saw  mill,  and  a  carpenter  and  joiner's  shop 
on  the  premises.  "  Besides  supporting  the  members  of 
the  Community,  in  1870,  $300,000  worth  of  manufac- 
tures were  sold,"'  two  hundred  persons  from  outside  be- 
ing employed  in  them.  The  property  is  considered  as 
belonging  to  the  whole  membership,  but  the  title  to  the 
real  estate  is  held  by  the  leaders,  and  there  is  an  univer- 
sal community  of  goods  existing,  no  portion  of  any- 
thing belonging  to  any  individual,  and  every  one  put- 
ting in  the  whole  of  his  possessions.  All  specialties  of 
relationship  are  discarded,  no  man  being  more  the  hus- 
band of  a  particular  woman  than  of  every  other,  and  no 
woman  being  more  the  wife  of  a  particular  man  than  of 
any  other.  The  connections  of  the  men  and  women  are 
assigned  bysome  kind  of  authoritative  arrangement  and 
constantly  change.  The  outside  business  of  the  Com  m  uni- 
ty is  transacted  by  appointee  from  within  itself, and  always 
with  thestrictest  integrity,  and  no  class  commands  bet- 
ter credit  and  is  more  sought  for  in  trade  The  mem- 
bers of  the  Community  are  readily  recognized.  The 
men  have  an  open  countenance  and  free  behavior,  and 

show   good    tare.      The   dress   of  the    women    is   i>\    no 

means  <>f  the  latest  fashion  and  in  the  Parisian  style. 
They  slouch  about  the  streets  with  ill-fitting  garments  of 

Common  material  and  dull  color,  their  figures   bent  and 

ungainly,  and  their  eyes  downcast  and  furtive.  A  cor- 
respondent of  a  neighboring  newspaper,  possibly  with 
subscriptions  and  advertisements  and  job  printing  af- 
fecting his  vision,  saw  hot  h  sexes  at  their  home,  and  the 
latter  looked  to  him  to  better  ad  \  antage  :  ••The  women 


44(>  PRESBYTERIANISM  IN  THE 

were  dressed  neatly  and  in  something  of  the  Bloomer 
costume,  but  in  different  colored  goods  and  material. 
They  all  looked  clean,  neat  and  modest,  though  lacking 
that  elasticity  and  vivacity  one  finds  in  an  equal 
number  of  women  in  ordinary  homes.  The  men  were 
elad  as  men  generally  are,  in  that  variety  of  style  suit- 
ing them  best,  and  on  the  whole  were  a  good-looking, 
elean-faced,  intellectual  set  of  people,  without  vicious- 
ness  or  traces  of  dissipation.  At  the  Oneida  Commu- 
nity there  is  no  profanity,  no  coarse  or  vulgar  language, 
no  use  of  intoxicating  liquors  as  a  beverage,  no  use  of 
tobacco  in  any  form,  no  words  of  unkindness.  Each 
one  seems  to  respect  not  only  himself  or  herself,  but 
others.  Some  of  the  family  were  old,  some  middle- 
aged,  a  few  were  young.  The  women  take  turns  in 
house-work.  Those  who  wait  on  the  table  this  week, 
do  something  else  next,  that  labor  may  not  be  a  monoto- 
nous drudgery.  In  the  evening,  the  family,  old  and 
young,  meet  in  a  small  room  resembling  a  theatre. 
Here  we  found  a  stage,  private  boxes,  sofas,  chairs,  lit- 
tle tables,  &c,,  as  cosy  as  you  jjlease.  Here  all  meet  at 
night  to  chat  and  sing,  for  piano  and  other  instrumental 
music,  for  tableaux  and  theatrical  exhibitions,  and  also 
for  kindly  criticism  of  each  other  s  character,  disposi- 
tion, conduct,  speech  and  acts,  and  for  mutual  amend- 
ment and  improvement" 


Wealthy,  only  daughter  of  President   Backus,   of 
Hamilton  College,  and  Qrstwife  of  Hon.  GrERRlT  Smith. 

lived,  but  seven  months  after  their  marriage.     His  sec- 
ond wife,  Ann  Carroll    Fitzhugh,  was  horn  at  llagars- 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  447 

town,  Md.,  January  11,  1805,  and  married  when  only 
seventeen  years  old.  Her  father,  Col.  William  Fitz- 
hugh, in  company  with  Charles  Carroll  and  Nathanael 
Rochester,  made  large  purchases  of  land  in  Western 
New  York,  and  removed  there  in  1812.  She  survived 
her  husband  but  a  few  weeks,  her  poor  health  having 
been  the  occasion  of  their  visit  to  New  York,  when  he 
suddenly  died  there.  Her  final  sickness,  however,  was 
of  an  inflammatory  character  induced  by  inclement 
weather,  but  previous  invalidism  and  bereavement 
disabled  her  for  effective  resistance,  lion.  William 
Fitzhugh,  Canal  Commissioner,  and  Dr.  Fitzhugh  of 
Gencsco,  were  her  brothers,  and  Mrs.  Swift,  of  Geneva, 
and  Mrs.  Tallman  and  Mrs.  Birney,  wife  of  James  G. 
Birney,  of  Kentucky,  candidate  of  the  "Liberty"*  party 
for  the  Presidency  of  1 840-44,  Avere  her  sisters.  She  was 
the  mother  of  seven  children,  but  two  of  whom  survive 
her.  Mrs.  Smith  fully  harmonized  with  her  husband  in 
character,  disposition  and  culture,  shared  in  his  hospi- 
tality and  enjoyment  of  society  and  large  benevolence, 
and  encouraged  and  quickened  him  in  his  labors  of  love. 
When  elected  to  Congress  in  L852,  Mr.  Smith  de- 
lined  what  he  denominated  the  " peculiarities"  of  his 
political  creed :  1.  Neither  the  Federal  nor  State  Con- 
stitution recognizes  any  law  for  slavery.  2.  The  right 
bo  the  soil  is  as  natural,  absolute  and  equal  as  the  righl 
to  the  lighl  and  air.  '>'>.  Political  rights  are  nol  conven- 
tional, bul  natural,  Inhering  in  all  persons,  the  black  as 
well  as  the    white,   the  female  as  well    a-    the  male.       I 

"Free  trade"  is  the  necessary    outgrowth  of  the. 
trine  of  human  brotherhood     5.   National  wars  areas 
brutal,  barbarous  and  annecessarv,  as  individual   vio 


448  PRESBTTER1ANISM  IN  THE 

lence  and  bloodshed.  6.  The  sole  part  of  government 
is  to  protect  persons  and  property.  Railroads,  canals 
schools,  churches,  lie  out  of  its  province  and  belong  to 
private  and  voluntary  spheres — but  in  its  duty  of  pro- 
tection, the  dram-shop  manufacture  of  paupers  and 
madmen  should  be  suppressed.  7.  Every  civil  officer, 
from  the  highest  to  the  lowest,  so  far  as  practicable, 
should  be  elected  by  the  people. 

The  profuseness  with,  which  Mr.  Smith  showered  his 
gifts,  it  might  have  been  presumed,  must  exhaust  his 
resources,  yet  $2,000,000  were  reserved  for  his  two 
heirs.  The  great  mass  of  Mr.  Smith's  best  friends  deeply 
regret  that  the  preparation  of  his  biography  should  have 
been  committed  to  one  whose  pronounced  notions,  ab- 
solutely irreligious  according  to  the  judgment  of  the 
religious,  can  hardly  fail  to  disfigure  and  discolor  the 
noble  and  excellent  man.  A  sketch  is  likely  to  be 
drawn  that  will  sadden  and  shock  evangelical  chris- 
tians and  give  satisfaction  only  to  the  laxest  of  lawless 
liberals,  and  the  subject  of  it,  so  philanthropic  and  use- 
ful, though  also  erratic  and  even  reckless  in  life,  will 
be  inhuman  in  the  results  to  which  he  is  perverted  after 
death. 


NOTICES    OP    DECEASED    MINISTERS    WHO    HAVE    LIVED 
AND  LABORED  IN   CENTRAL  NEW  YOKE. 

It  has  been  impracticable  to  obtain,  thus  far,  any 
particular  information  of  the  great  mass  of  the  Fathers 
and  Brethren  who  toiled  in  this  field  and  have  depart- 
ed  to  their  rest     Many  of  them  were  well  and  widely 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  449 

known,  and  are  remembered  in  a  general  way,  hut  no 
details  can  be  procured  of  them.  Time  for  further  in- 
quiry would  disclose  much  of  most  of  them,  which  it 
would  be  a  pleasure  to  relate.  And  what  is  said  of 
those  who  are  mentioned,  the  imperiousness  of  a  small 
volume  requires  should  be  summary  and  brief. 

The  Rev.  Samuel  Dunlop  is  the  Abraham  of  our 
Canaan, — the  Patriarch  of  Presbyterianism  in  this 
lect  region,  and  whatever  order  of  mention  may  be 
adopted,  he  must  be  spoken  of  first  A  native  of  Ire- 
land and  a  graduate  of  Trinity,  Dublin,  on  being  ad- 
mitted to  the  ministry,  he  embarked  for  a  tour  in  this 
country,  lie  had  traveled  through  the  Southern  and 
Middle  Colonies,  and  in  1740  reached  New  York  <>n 
his  way  to  New  England.  There  he  met  Mr.  John 
Lindesay,  who  the  year  before  had  bought  the  patent 
for  eight  thousand  acres  of  land,  embracing  a  part  of 
what  is  now  the  village  and  town  of  Cherry  Valley, 
and  brought  to  it  his  family,  consisting  of  his  wife  and 
father-in-law, Mr.  Congreve,  a  Lieutenant  in  the  British 
army,  and  a  few  servants.  This  gentleman  was  a 
Scotchman  of  some  fortune  and  position,  having  held 
several  offices  under  the  British  government     The  Eace 

of  the  country  resembled  his  native  hind,  and  thus 
pleased  him.  and  he  anticipated  much  enjoyment  in  his 

frontier  home  lie  offered  Mr.  Dunlop  a  trad  of  seve- 
ral hundred  acres  on  condition  that  he  would  settle  up- 
on it  and  endeavoi  t<>  induce  others  i<>  accompany  him. 
The  proposal  was  accepted,  and  Mi-.  Dunlop  started 
forthwith  for  Londonderry,  New  Hampshire,  hoping  to 
persuade  some  of  his  countrymen  who  had  emigrated 


450  PRESBYTERIANISM  W  THE 

there,  to  colonize  with  him.     He  prevailed  with  David 
Ramsay,    William    Gallt,    James    Campbell,    William 
Dickson,'*  and  one  or  two  others,  and  they  and  their 
families,  about  thirty  persons  in  all,  bought  farms  and 
occupied  them.     The  place  had  been  called  LindesayV 
Bush,   but  ignorant  of  this,  or  the  name  not  having 
been  definitely  determined  upon,  Mr.  Dunlop  inquired 
of   Mr.  Lindesay  from  what  he  should  date  a  letter  he 
was  writing.     The  name  of  some  Scotch  town  was  giv- 
en, but  pointing  to  some  wild  cherry  trees,  Mr.  Dunlop 
proposed  "Cherry  Valley, "  and  the  suggestion  was  adopt- 
ed. The  young  clergyman  had  left  Ireland  to  explore  the 
new  world  for  a  home  fitting  a  young  woman  to  whom 
he  had  offered  his  hand.     The  acceptance  of  it  was  sub- 
jected to  the  condition  that  not  more  than  seven  years 
should  elapse  before  marriage  took  place.     The  interval 
was  nearly  passed  before  Mr.  Dunlop  could  properly 
arrange  to  turn  affiance  to  wedlock,  and  when  he  set 
sail  and  nearly  reached  the  home  of  his  anticipated 
bride,  a  storm  drove  his  vessel  from  the  coast,  and  still 
longer  delayed  his  coming.     Despairing  of   him,  the 
lady  engaged  herself  to  another,  and  Mr.  Dunlop  ar- 
rived only  the  day  before  the  appointed  wedding,  but 
in  time  to  defeat  it,  and   lie  returned  to  his  western 
home,  a  happy  bridegroom.     The  house,  built  of  logs, 
\\;is  a  novel  structure  to  the  young  bride,  but  affection 
was  better  than  architecture,  and  the  site  en  the  decliv- 
ity of  a  hill,  was  surrounded  by  seenery  more  beautiful 
than  a  palace.     The  salary,  ten  shillings  on  every  hun- 
dred acres  in  the  settlement,  paid  for  no  luxuries;  but, 

*  Mr.  Dickson  was  an  ancestor  of  Kev.  Dr.  Dickson,  one  of  the 
Secretaries  of  our  Home  Mission  Board. 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  451 

supplemented  from  the  produce  of  neighboring  farms, 
and  from  the  husband's  industry,  it  sufficed  for  the  nec- 
essaries of  life  and  for  many  of  its  comforts.  Mr.  Dun- 
lop  cultivated  his  land  and  reaped  crops  from  it.  He 
also  taught  a  school,  receiving  scholars  from  the  Mo- 
hawk settlements,  and  from  Schenectady  and  Albany, 
and  adopting  a  new  style  of  peripatetic  instruction  and 
an  improvement  on  Aristotle, — he  often  taught  the  pu- 
pils while  they  followed  him  about  the  fields,  where  he 
was  prosecuting  his  farming. 

The  character  of  the  colonists  made  a  meetingdiouse 
and  school-house  indispensable  at  once,  and  the  two 
were  combined  in  a  log  building  on  the  slope  of  a  hill 
where  Mr.  Lindesay's  dwelling  stood. 

This  gentleman  had  little  knowledge  of  business  af- 
fairs and  less  of  agriculture,  and  his  education  and  hab- 
its unfitted  him  for  pioneer  life  longer  than  its  novelty 
lasted.  After  sinking  considerable  capital  in  the  enter- 
prise, with  the  prospect  of  losing  il  all.  he  parted  with 
his  purchase,  and  receiving  his  father-in-law's  lieuten- 
antcyin  the  company  of  "Independent  Greena/'he  was 
ordered  to  Oswego,  then  threatened,  together  with  the 
vicinity,  by  the  French  and  Indiana  The  wars  with 
these  enemies  committed  every  citizen  t<>  public  affairs, 
;iiid  made  soldiers  of  all  the  men  ami  boys,  Mr.  Dun- 
lop  took-  a  busy  and  influential  part  in  civil  proceed- 
serving  on  committees,  drafting  papers  and  assist- 
ing at  conventions  and  meetings  He  wrote  a  letter. 
June  ;;,  1 7 7 •  '► .  i"  the  Tryon  Country  Commitl 

in  the  name  of  the  inhabitants  of  Cherry   Valley,  that  a 

military  company,  reported  t<»  be  ordered  away,  should 
i»e  k<pt  at  Cherry   Valley,  then  much  expos*  ther 


452 


PRESBYTERIANISM  IN  THE 


with  Springfield  and  Newtown-Martin,  or  that  another 
should  be  substituted  for  it, — and  his  name  stands  first 
on  a  petition,  July  1st,  1776,  to  the  Provincial  Congress, 
begging  for  protection  from  "the  rage  and  fury  of  mer- 
ciless enemies." 

Composed  of  eight  families  in  1752,  the  community 
consisted  of  forty  in  1765,  and  with  growing  congrega- 
tion, a  larger  and  better  church  edifice  was  needed.  A 
frame  building  was  then  erected  on  rising  ground  near 
the  southern  edge  of  the  village,  and  which  was  conse- 
crated by  the  dust  of  the  dead,  for  whom  the  lot  had 
been  a  grave-yard.  Efforts  had  been  made  to  put  up  a 
stockade  at  the  house  of  Col.  Campbell,  on  a  hill  north 
of  the  village,  but  after  Gen.  LaFayette,  in  the  Spring 
of  1778,  had  directed  that  a  regular  fort  should  be  built 
in  the  town,  the  officers  of  the  garrison  fixed  on  the 
knoll  where  the  church  stood,  and  this  therefore  became 
the  centre  of  a  military  enclosure. 

December  11,  1778,  the  massacre  was  perpetrated. — 
that  conspicuous  chapter  in  the  history  of  horrors.  M  v. 
Dunlop  had  "established  his  home  on  the  bank  of  a 
limpid  stream,  not  far  from  the  spot  Avhere  it  falls  in  a 
pretty  cascade  over  a  ledge  of  rock,  and  planted  an  or- 
chard there.  A  party  of  Indians  surrounded  the  house 
and  killed  his  wife  immediately  in  his  presence,  and 
Hung  her  arm,  cut  from  her  body,  into  an  apple  tree 
branch."  Little  Aaron,  a  chief  of  the  Oquago  Mo- 
hawks, defended  Mr.  Dunlop  and  one  of  his  two  daugh- 
ters,—the  other.  Mrs.  John  Wells,  being  murdered  with 
her  husband.  His  Indian  protector  took  him  aside  and 
stood  guard  over  him, — but  another  Indian  passing  by, 
seized  his  hat  and  ran  away  with  it,  but  was  caught  by 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  468 

Little  Aaron  and  compelled  to  give  it  up.  Another 
came  by  and  snatched  the  wig  of  the  venerable  pastor, 
and  left  him  with  bare  head  under  a  falling  cold  rain, 
with  his  whole  system  shaking  from  chill  and  terror. 
His  house  was  razed  to  the  ground  and  his  library  scat- 
tered and  destroyed,  and  he  himself  was  led  off  captive. 
Released  in  a  few  days,  his  health  was  irreparably  bro- 
ken, and  a  year  after,  he  sank  into  a  grave  in  the  city 
of  New  York. 

.lolls  Watson  Adams.  D.  I).,  son  of  Rev.  Roger 
Adams,  was  born  at  Simsbury,  Ct.,  Dec.  6,  1796, 
taken  in  childhood,  with  his  fathers  family,  to  Gran- 
ville. Mass.,  and  in  1805,  to  Sherburne,  N.  Y.,  and  in 
1810  to  Lenox,  1ST.  Y.  When  nearly  in  his  majority, 
he  commenced  study  for  Hamilton  College,  where  he 
graduated  in  182'2.  In  1816  he  publicly  professed  reli- 
gion, and  set  out  to  prepare  for  the  ministry.  His  the- 
ological course  was  passed  at  Auburn  Seminary,  but 
between  that  and  his  collegiate  course,  he  taught  a 
select  school  in  Manlius,  and  spenl  a  few  months  in 
v  •  York,  receiving  general  instruction  from  Rev.  Dr. 
Spring  and  observing,  and  bo  taking  lessons  from,  other 
prominent  clergymen  in  thai  city.  Be  was  quiet  and 
unobtrusive  as  a  student.  Bhunning  rather  than  seeking 
prominence  and  influence  But  he  could  not  escape 
notice,  and  such  was  the  reputation  he  acquired  that  be- 
fore completing  hia  term  at  the  Beminary,  he  was  sought 
for  by  the  Second  Church,  Rochester,  and  the  First 
Church,  Syracuse  The  former  of  the  two  was  well 
established  and  able  to  give  an  ample  Bupport;  the 
latter  was  just   founded,  and  an  experiment   at  best 


4o4  PRESBYTERIANISM  IN  THE 

The  young  clergyman  gave  preference  to  Syracuse,  and 
there  he  was  ordained  and  installed,  June  28, 1826,  and 
there  he  lived  and  labored  until  April  6th,  1860,  when 
death  took  him  away.  His  diffidence,  combined  with 
bilious  ailments,  kept  him  close  to  his  parish,  and  re- 
strained his  activity.  He  attempted  little  beyond 
preaching,  and  was  often  relieved  from  that, — but  even 
sermon  was  full  of  substance  and  mighty  in  execution. 
If  not  heard  always, when  heard  he  was  felt  and  remem- 
bered. He  shrunk  from  print  too,  seldom  appearing  in 
it  during  his  life,  but  the  two  or  three  discourses  he 
allowed  to  be  published  during  his  life,  and  the  volume 
of  discourses  put  to  press  after  his  death,  show  the 
massiveness  of  his  habitual  thoughts  and  the  elevation 
of  his  rhetoric.  Few  pastors  have  had  so  close  and 
universal  following  by  their  flock,  and  are  remembered 
with  so  much  pride  and  reverence  and  affection,  and 
few  ministers  are  held  in  such  esteem  by  their  brethren. 
Kather  portly  in  person  and  slow  in  movement,  with 
the  countenance  of  a  Master  in  Israel,  his  appearance 
arrested  attention  and  commanded  respect,  and  all  he 
said  and  did  added  to  the  impression  which  he  made  at 
first  sight.  He  was  not  a  frequent  attendant  on  public 
bodies,  nor  ever  a  busy  actor  in  them,  but  when  pres- 
ent, and  participating  .in  the  proceedings,  he  took  a 
leading  part.  Columbia  College  conferred  the  Doctor- 
ate of  Divinity  upon  him  in  1840,  and  in  1841  he  was 
appointed  a  Trustee  of  Hamilton  College. 

Rev.  William  BACON,  bod  of  Captain  Abner  and 
Bve  (Lewis)  Bacon,  was  the  sixth  of  twelve  children, 
and  was  born  at  Cherry  Valley,  August,  1789,  to  which 


SYNOD  OF  VENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  455 

place  his  parents  had  then  recently  removed  from  Ded- 
bam,  Mass.  He  lost  his  mother  at  an  early  age,  but 
was  most  kindly  nurtured  by  a  step-mother.  The  fam- 
ily changed  their  home  to  Paris,  Oneida  county,  during 
his  childhood.  He  experienced  religion  soon  after  he 
attained  to  manhood,  during  a  revival  under  the  minis- 
try of  Rev.  P.  V.  Bogue,  and  spending  Freshman  and 
Sophomore  years  at  Hamilton  College,  he  graduated  from 
Union  in  1815.  He  studied  Theology  with  President 
Nbtl  and  Professor  Yates,  and  in  181(>  was  licensed  by 
the  Oneida  Presbytery,  and  ordained  in  1817  by  the 
Buffalo  Presbytery.  Mr.  Bacon  manifested  zeal  in  the 
divine  service  from  the  moment  of  his  conversion,  and 
was  active  in  it  during  his  preparation  for  college  and 
while  a  si n< lent  there.  On  entering  the  ministry,  he 
aspired  to  a  missionary  field,  and  made  Willink,  in  Erie 
county,  N.  Y..  the  centre  of  his  operations.  He  was  after- 
wards invited  to  Waterloo,  Seneca  county,  and  organized 
the  church  there,  and  leavingatthe  dose  of  two  or  three 
fears,  he  spenl  some  time  at  Seneca  Palls  and  Cayuga, 
and  was  much  engaged  in  revivals.  In  L825,  he  went 
to  Cortlandville  and  formed  the  church  in  that  village, 
and  then  very  successfully  labored  a1  Saratoga  Springs, 
— Chancellor  Walworth  and  his  wife  being  among  the 

additions  to  thechurch  while  he  supplied  it.  He  after- 
ward preached  and  Labored  in  succession  at  Moreau,  in 
Saratoga  county,  as  city  missionary  in  Albany,  as 
Bethel  missionarj  in  Troy,  N.  Y.  and  as  city  mission- 
ary in  Philadelphia  Severe  illness  from  overwork 
now  prostrated  bim,  and  broke  his  health  for  the 
mainder  of  bia  life.  He  could  not,  however,  endure 
passivity,  and  exerted  his  impaired  powers  to  the  ut- 


456 


rRESBYTEIUANISM  IN  THE 


most  at  Hickman  and  other  places  on  the  Mississippi 
river,  and  for  three  winters  in  New  Orleans,  and  for 
some  time  at  Troy,  Missouri,  and  as  an  agent  of  the 
American  Sunday  School  Union.  When  disabled  for 
the  pulpit,  which  he  had  statedly  filled  in  twelve  dif- 
ferent places,  he  wrote  for  the  Press,  publishing  numer- 
ous newspaper,  magazine  and  review  articles,  tracts. 
pamphlets,  and  six  volumes  of  books.  Though  long 
an  invalid,  death  found  him  busy  at  work,  his  mind 
teeming  with  thoughts  and  his  heart  with  feelings  and 
his  lips  and  hands  in  motion  to  express  and  diffuse 
them.  He  was  naturally  amiable  and  cheerful  as  well 
as  stirring,  and  the  necessities  of  his  early  circumstances 
made  him  self-helpful  and  self-reliant,  and  trained  him  to 
enterprise  and  energy  and  perseverance.  His  tempera- 
ment unfitted  him  for  scholarship,  but  his  sprightliness 
and  natural  rhetoric  and  oratory  and  great  earnestness 
qualified  him  for  popular  preaching,  and  especially  for 
occasions  when  the  Spirit  was  poured  out  from  on  high. 
Miss  Abby  Price,  the  first  wife  of  Mr.  Bacon,  died  in 
1849,  leaving  four  of  eight  children  born  to  them, — two 
in  the  ministry,  one  an  Episcopalian  at  the  South,  and 
another  a  Presbyterian  in  Kentucky.  Mrs.  Elizabeth 
(Kilbourn)  Parsons,  of  Auburn,  was  a  second  wife  of 
Mr.  Bacon,  and  survived  him  only  a  few  years, — his  own 
death  from  a  gradual  decay,  hastened  by  a  dropsical 
affection,  occurring  April  2,  1863. 


Rev.  Tkc.max  Baldwin,  son  of  Amos  and  Marga- 
ret Baldwin,  was  born  at  East  Granville,  Mass.,  Sept. 
27,  1780.  lie  fitted  for  college  in  his  native  town  with 
Timothy  M.   Cooly,  D.  P.,  and  graduated  at  New  Ha- 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  457 

ven  in  1802.  In  his  senior  year  he  was  hopefully  eon- 
verted,  and  forthwith  determined  to  preach  the  gospel, 
and  after  commencement  he  took  up  theology  for  one 
year  under  the  direction  of  Eev.  Dr.  Backus,  at  Somers, 
Ct.,  and  for  two  years  under  the  direction  of  Rev.  Dr. 
Emmons.  The  Hampshire  South  Association  licensed 
him  in  1804,  and,  full  of  the  missionary  spirit,  he  went. 
to  a  vacant  field  in  Vermont,  and  then,  1SU7,  undertook 
a  pastorate  at  Charlotte,  in  that  State.  I  lis  seven  years 
settlement  there  was  highly  prosperous,  the  spirit  of  the 
Lord  descending  with  power  upon  the  people.  Falling 
into  the  procession  of  emigrants  to  this  State,  he  reached 
the  u Military  Tract,"  and  accepted  the  invitation,  in 
1815,  of  the  recently  organized  church  at  Pompey  Bast 
Hollow,  and  for  thirteen  years  went  in  and  out  there, 
two  revivals  of  religion  adding  largely  to  the  church 
membership.  His  brethren  selected  him  for  a  new  or- 
ganization at  Cicero,  nine  miles  north  of  Syracuse,  and 
he  took  charge  of  it  in  1829.  During  his  residence  in 
both  of  these  places,  he  missionated  in  that  neighbor- 
hood, and  established  several  churches,  and  fitted  four 
candidates  for  the  ministry  to  enter  college.  Thehouse 
of  worship  at  Pompey  East  Hollow  was  unfinished 
when  he  went  to  it,  and  he  led  the  wa\  to  its  comple- 
tion, and  his  work  in  the   town   and   al  Cicero  was  I 

stantly  progressive  and  confirmatory,  Hie  climate,  at 
that  period,  proved  unfavorable  to  him,  and  for  a  time 
suspended  his  activity,  and  he  sought  improvement  and 
resumed  labor  at  East  Aurora  Cor  one  year,  and  at  Da« 
lien  Centre  for  another  \  ear,  and  then  accepted  a  call  to 
Somerset,  Niagara  county.  Here  he  found  a  feeble 
but  faithful  church,  and  in  less  than  a  year  a  horn 


468  PRESBYTERIAN1SM  IN  THE 

worship  was  raised,  and  soon  consecrated  by  the  mani- 
fest presence  of  the  Lord.  The  four  years  spent  here 
wrere  the  happiest  of  his  life,  and  probably  the  most 
useful.  With  little  to  greet  him  at  his  coming,  a  sanctu- 
ary, a  Sunday  school,  a  strong  session,  and  a  self-sus- 
taining society  bade  him  farewell  at  his  leaving.  Una- 
ble to  continue  the  pastoral  work,  he  opened  a  classical 
school  in  connection  with  two  of  his  daughters,  at 
Middleport,  Niagara  county,  and  while  giving  the  boon 
of  education  to  the  community,  he  promoted  religion 
in  it,  so  that  a  flourishing  Presbyterian  Church  sprang 
up  where  error  had  been  rank  before.  Exertion  of 
every  kind  finally  overtaxed  him,  and  he  spent  twenty 
years,  beginning  with  1845,  in  enforced  repose  at  Cicero, 
the  scene  of  his  former  activities ;  and  here,  July  27, 
1835,  he  lay  down  in  the  grave  by  the  side  of  his  wife. 
who  "fell  on  sleep"  precisely  three  years  before. 


Rev.  D wight  Baldwin,  M.  D.,  was  born  at  Dur- 
ham, 1ST.  Y.,  Sept,  29,  1798,  and  graduated  from  Yale 
in  1821,  and  from  Auburn,  1829.  Ordained  at  Utica, 
by  the  Presbytery  of  Oneida,  Oct.  6,  1830,  he  em 
barked  for  the  Sandwich  Islands,  and  was  stationed  at 
Waimea,  in  Ilawai,  from  1831  to  1836,  and  then  trans- 
ferred to  Lahaina.  A  medical  education  materially 
aided  his  missionary  work  and  added  to  its  results. 
lie  corresponded  to  his  associates  who  have  made  so 
enviable  a  record  for  themselves,  and  who,  besides 
what  they  have  done  for  the  people  for  whom  they  im- 
mediately labored,  have  so  effectively  vindicated  the 
cause  of  evangelizing  the  most  hopeless  of  the  heathen. 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEYV  YORK.  459 

Born,  January  18,  1790,  in  Mansfield,  Ct.,  Kev. 
Eleazer  Storrs  Barrows  was  taken  with  his  father's 
family,  October,  1797,  to  Middlebuiy,  Vt,  where  he 
was  prepared  for  college,  and  October,  1811,  graduated. 
He  spent  1811-12  in  Castleton,  Vt,  and  1812-15  in  the 
Carolinas,  and  studied  divinity  at  Princeton,  1815-16, 
acting  a  portion  of  1815  as  tutor  in  Middlebury  Col- 
lege. He  preached  in  Middletown,  N.  Y.,  1816-17, 
and  at  the  close  of  1817  accepted  a  tutorship  in  Hamil- 
ton College,  and  for  the  three  years  succeeding  Septem- 
ber, 1818,  filled  the  Professorship  of  Latin  in  that  insti- 
tution. June  29,  1819,  he  was  received  by  the  Presby- 
tery of  Oneida  as  a  licentiate  of  the  Presbytery  of  New 
Brunswick,  and  June  25,  1822,  was  dismissed  to  the 
care  of  the  Presbytery  of  Onondaga,  by  which  body 
he  was  ordained  and  installed  over  the  Congregational 
Church  at  Pompey  Hill.  Here  he  remained  until  1828, 
combining  the  charge  of  the  academy  a  part  of  the 
time,  with  that  of  the  church.  He  edited  the  Utica 
Christian  Magazine  from  1828  to  1833;  also  supplying 
the  pulpit  at  Waterville  for  a  portion  of  thai  space 
On  leaving  the  editorial  chair,  he  resumed  the  stated 
work  of  the  ministry,  and  was  settled  at  Cazenovia 
until  1842.  He  then  returned  to  Utica  with  broken 
health,  preaching  here  and  there  according  to  his  ability, 
and  died  July  28,  L847,  in  the  f>7th  war  of  his  age 
His   wife,    Catharine   C,    daughter    «»f    Dr,    Thomas 

Fuller,  of   CooperstOWn,  to    whom    he  was  married  Max 

7,  1822,  Burvivea  him  in  agrees  old  age,  cheered  and 
cherished  by  bur  of  seven  children  born  t<>  them,  two 
of  them  sons  and  two  daughters  Mr.  Barrows1  preach- 
ing bore  the  stanip  of   his   nature  and  of   his  life  in  the 


480  riiESBYTEElANISM  IN  THE 

schools.  It  addressed  the  understanding  more  imme- 
diately than  the  sensibilities,  and  aimed  at  effect  by 
knowledge  and  reflection,  and  comparatively  little  by 
emotion.  His  views  on  subjects  and  methods  were 
conservative,  and  he  expressed  them  freely  and  main- 
tained them  tenaciously.  In  days  of  reformatory 
movement  and  theological  discussion  and  ecclesiastical 
<li vision,  he  took  an  active  part  in  favor  of  a  moderate 
policy  and  of  an  orthodox  creed,  and  of  the  old  school 
body.  Scholastic  in  his  early  habits,  he  was  remarka- 
bly practical  and  energetic,  "I  get  the  impression,'' 
says  has  present  successor  at  Cazenovia,  "  that  he  was 
two  or  three  men  in  one, — that  he  had  in  him  not  only 
the  material  of  a  good  minister,  but  also  of  a  splendid 
lawyer  and  of  a  military  commander,  lie  had  a  super- 
abundant energy,  which  led  him  to  have  horses  and  a 
farm  besides  his  parish  ;  and  he  had  two  flocks  also,  one 
of  spiritual  sheep  in  the  parish  and  another  of  literal 
sheep  in  the  field,  and  he  is  not  charged  with  neglecting 
cither.  He  certainly  was  vigorous  and  unwearied  in 
his  ministry  over  the  church  while  it  wras  passing- 
through  some  trying  times.  First  came  the  division, 
when  a  large  number  of  members  dejwrted  and  organ- 
ized the  other  church.*  Then  came  the  agitating  pro- 
cess of  changing  the  constitutional  form  of  the  church. 
so  that  from  being  Congregational,  as  it  had  been  thus 
far,  it  became  fully  Presbyterian.  Thus  the  period  of 
Mr.  Barrows'  pastorate  was  one  of  much  disturbance 
;ii id  agitation.  But  he  conducted  the  affairs  of  the 
church  with  marked  ability,  and  left  it  strong  and  vig- 


*  Free  Congregational. 


SYNOD  OF  CESTRAL  NEW  YORK.  461 

orous  at  the  time  of  bis  resignation  in  1841.  His 
judgment  and  skill  made  him  an  oracle  largely  resorted 
to  for  counsel,  and  in  this  character,  and  in  every  other 
he  bore,  he  won  esteem  while  he  showed  wisdom.  Mr. 
Barrows'  last  illness  continued  for  several  weeks,  but 
did  not  exhaust  his  patience  and  submission,  and  when 
death  drew  nigh  no  fear  alarmed  him.  Knowing  in 
whom  he  believed,  he  calmly  committed  himself  to  his 
keeping,  and  his  end  was  peace 

Rbv.  Orlo  Bartholomew  was  born  in  W<  stG  ehen, 
Cfc,  1802,  and  educated  at  Union  College  and  Auburn 
Seminary.  Licensed  by  the  Presbytery  of  Cayuga,  be 
preached  during  1835  at  Henrietta,  Monroe  county, 
and  May  10.  1836,  was  ordained  by  the  Presbytery  of 
Oneida,  and  installed  pastor  of  the  Congregational 
Church  at  Augusta,  X.  V..  and  in  this  relation  he  died, 
precisely  twenty-eight  years  after.  He  did  not  com- 
mence study  with  reference  to  any  extended  course 
until  the  25th  year  of  his  age,  but  he  made  the  m< 
his  opp  >rtunity  when  it  offered,  and  by  diligence  and 
prudence  and  excellence  and  sustained  earnestness,  with- 
out tin1  aid  of  genius  and  commanding  intellect,  he 
maintained  himself  in  his  parish  and  pulpit  for  the 
long  term  he  held  them.  He  had  penned  his  eleven 
hundred  and  twenty-eighth  discourse,  fully  written  out. 
when  death  palsied  his  hand.  Though  he  never  ut- 
tered a  woid  of  eloquence,  la-  spoke  the  simple  truth 
with  so  much  sincerity,  and  in  sentences  so  redolent  of 
t  In-  Spirit,  that  with  his  loving  and  confiding  congn 
tion  his  preaching  passed  well  as  endued  with  it.  He 
kept  close  watchof  his  flock,  habitually  eyeing  them 


462  PRESBYTEMANISM  IN  THE 

and  walking  among  them.  No  wandering  or  suffering 
escaped  his  eye,  and  he  flew  for  it  the  instant  he  saw 
it  Regard  for  him  and  harmony  among  the  people 
were  the  natural  result,  but  the  magnitude  of  this  work 
and  the  amount  it  cost  are  indicated  by  the  fact  that 
division  and  turbulence  had  previously  seemed  the 
chronic  condition  of  the  people.  And  he  did  not  deal 
in  balm  alone.  He  used  the  knife,  and  cut  heroically. 
The  wicked  often  cringed  under  him  and  he  wounded 
to  heal.  Simple  and  artless,  the  most  humble  and 
timid  felt  at  ease  with  him,  while  his  principle  and 
purity  secured  him  respect  and  reverence  from  the 
reckless  and  pro  ad.  His  life  gave  power  to  his  teach- 
ing, illustrating  and  confirming  and  commending  it. 
The  eminence  of  his  piety  explains  the  perseverance 
and  success  of  his  ministry.  A  painful  disease  (dia- 
betes) kept  him  in  torture  for  weeks  and  months,  but 
did  not  wear  out  his  patience  or  impair  his  resignation. 
The  more  he  suffered,  the  more  he  enjoyed.  Inspired 
truth,  fellowship  with  the  Father  and  with  his  Son, 
Jesus  Christ,  closeness  to  the  Saviour,  glorifying  God 
by  enduring  his  will,  were  more  precious  and  delight- 
ful than  ever  before.  He  spent  much  time  in  search- 
ing the  Scriptures  and  in  prayer,  pleading  for  the  uncon- 
verted in  his  congregation  with  great  earnestness.  The 
biography  of  the  missionary  Stoddard  greatly  interested 
him  towards  the  last,  and  especially  the  record  of  his 
death-bed  experience.  "Bead  that  book,"  he  said,  "and 
you  will  understand  how  I  feel."  Ps.  91:4  :  "He  shall 
•over  thee  with  his  feathers,  and  under  his  wings  shalt 
thou  trust;  his  truth  shall  be  thy  shield  and  buckler," 
was  the  text  of  the  last  sermon  be  wrote:  and  when  the 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  463 

seventeenth  chapter  of  John's  gospel  was  read  to  him. 
he  noted  the  words,  "  that  they  may  behold  my  glory,'" 
and  exclaimed,  "  Oh,  that  glory  !  how  I  long  to  see  it!'" 
A  large  concourse  of  people  gathered  at  his  funeral 
and  a  large  company  of  ministers,  all  of  them  mourn- 
ing friends. 

Rev.  Juiix  BARTON  was  born  in  Massachusetts,  ana 
graduated  from  Hamilton  College  in  1819,  and  in- 
structed in  theology  at  Andover,  in  the  class  of  1822. 
to  which  Rev.  Mr.  A  bell  belonged  and  others  named  in 
the  notice  of  him.  He  was  admitted  to  the  ministry 
in  1S22,  and  traveled  as  a  home  missionary  in  Hanover 
and  Goochland  counties,  Va.,  and  in  the  State  of  New 
York  in  1823.  He  acted  as  stated  supply  at  Vernon 
Centre,  1823-1826,  Orville,  1826,  Geneva,  1827,  Elmira, 
1828,  Camden,  1828-1826,  Corning,  1832-1835,  Camden 
a  second  time,  183&-1845,  Clinton,  1846-1849,  and 
then  suspended  his  active  ministry  and  resided  at 
Clinton     His  health  has  been  feeble  and  his  spirits 

3ed,  and  he  is  modest  and  shrinking — but  an  excel- 
lent preacher  and  a  genuine  man,  he  has  made  friends 
w  herever  he  Lived,  and  ex  revivals  have  foll< 

his  labors,  particularly  in  Vernon  Centre  and  Camden. 

Rev.  Bari  i  ii  B.  Beckwitb  w;i>  born  at  Lyme,  I 
in  lv<>"».  and  graduated  from  Williams  College  in  l  - 
and  from  A  iburn  Seminary  in  1830,  and  spent  a  fourth 
year  of  theological  Btudy  at  New  Haven,  Ct     Il<-  first 
exercised  the  ministry  at  Athol,  M.     .    1881  34,  and 
then  bine,  Maine,  ls-;7   12,  and  last  at  Gouver- 

neur,  N.    Y.,  1846  80,    and  died   in    ls7".     Bis  mind 


464 


PRESUl'TERIASISM  JN  THE 


was  constantly  busy,  and  concentrated  itself  on  the 
parishes  he  served  and  on  the  denomination  to  which 
lie  belonged,  and  on  the  promotion  of  virtue  and  reli- 
gion. So  intent  was  he  on  what  might  advance  the 
church  and  benefit  the  community,  the  country  and 
the  world,  that  he  took  no  note  of  himself, — of  his  ap- 
pearance, his  manners  and  movements,  his  advantage 
or  gratification.  He  was  eminently  useful  at  Gouver- 
neur,  and  very  active  for  the  good  of  the  surrounding 
region,  and  prominent  and  influential  in  the  proceed- 
ings of  his  Presbytery  and  Synod.  No  one  could  fail 
to  esteem  him  highly  for  his  work's  sake,  while  he  had 
spared  no  pains  in  preparing  himself  for  it,  and  com- 
manded respect  and  deference  by  his  native  sense  and 
vigorous  and  stirring  mind.  Life  was  service  with  him. 
and  completing  his  appointed  term  for  it  on  earth.  1  s7'  I 
ho  went  up  higher  at  the  bidding  of  his  Lord. 

Rev.  Joel  A.  Benedict  was  the  son  of  a  clergyman 
in  Connecticut,  and  practiced  law  for  a  time  in  that 
State.  His  conversion  turned  him  to  the  ministry, 
whiclrhe  first  exercised  at  Franklin,  Delaware  county, 
a ix I  afterwards  at  Chatham,  Columbia  county,  and 
then  at  two  different  periods  as  a  missionary  in  Che- 
nango county,  under  a  commission  from  the  Connecti- 
cut Missionary  Society  ;  and  in  the  last  mentioned  ser- 
vice, he  organized  the  church  at  Norwich,  N.  Y.  He 
was  an  indefatigable  and  useful  worker,  and  a  godly 
man. 


Rev.  PUBLIUS  VlRGlLlUB  BOGUE  was  born  at  Farm- 

ington,  Ct,,  March  30,  1764,  the  son  of  the  first  settled 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  t/gW  YOB  A'.  4')") 

minister  in  that  town.  He  graduated  from  Yale  Col- 
lege, 1787,  at  a  liigh  standing  in  his  class,  and  no  semi- 
naries of  sacred  learning  being  in  existence  then,  he 
studied  theology  with  his  brother,  Rev.  Aaron  Jordan 
Bogue,  at  Granville,  Mass.  He  married  a  daughter  of 
Col.  Timothy  Robinson,  who  had  distinguished  himself 
as  a  gallant  and  Christian  officer  in  the  Revolutionary 
army.  He  began  his  ministry  in  Winchester,  Ct,  and 
exercised  it  there  most  prosperously  and  acceptably  for 
several  years,  and  then  accepted  a  call  to  Hanover, 
(now  Kirkland,)  Oneida  county,  where  he  was  equally 
successful  for  a  number  of  years,  and  after  that  took 
charge  of  the  church  in  Vernon  Centre.  Here  his 
health  gave  wray,  and  as  a  means  of  restoring  it,  he 
changed  climate,  and  recovering  it  after  a  short  resi- 
dence in  northern  Vermont,  he  resumed  pastoral  ser- 
at  Georgia,  in  that  State,  and  prosecuted  it  there 
f«>r  twelve  or  fourteen  years.  The  attachment  he  form- 
al to  Central  New  York  drew  him  to  Sauquoit,  where 
the  firs!  settled  pastor,  and  where  he  led  his 
flock  to  green  pastures  and  beside  still  waters.  It- 
proved  ;i  fertile  field  under  his  tillage,  and  in  1817,  par- 
ticularly, a  large  harvest  was  gathered  The  infirmities 
of  age  now  began  to  disable  Mr.  Bogue,  and  he  re 
moved  to  Clinton,  and  there  his  change  came,  An 
22,  1836,  in  the  72d  year  of  his  age. 

Rev.   Hora in  s    Pi  ni.ii  a   Bogus  was  the  boo 
I',  v.  Bogue,  born  at   Winchester,  Ct,  Decembei 
22,  L796.     He  passed  through  Hamilton  College,  1820 
in   the  same  class  with  Albert  Barnes  and    Prof< 
Avery,   and  through   Andover  Seminary,  1828       II 


466  PRESBYTERIAXISM  IN  THE 

settled  successively  at  Butternuts,  Otsego  county, 
1823-29,  Norwich,  Chenango  county,  1829-33,  (where 
a  revival  of  remarkable  powrer  attended  his  ministry,) 
Vernon  village,  Oneida  county,  1833-40,  and  Seneca 
Falls,  Seneca  county,  and  as  stated  supply  in  Preble, 
Chenango  county,  1862-64,  and  East  Hamburg,  N.  Y., 
1S64-66.  The  failure  of  his  health  in  the  last  charge 
disqualified  him  for  the  stated  cure  of  souls,  and  for  sev- 
eral years  he  filled  agencies  for  the  Colonization  and 
Jews'  Societies,  making  his  headquarters  at  Syracuse. 
Ilis  strength  finally  proved  inadequate  for  regular  labor 
of  any  kind,  and  he  removed  to  Buffalo,  occasionally 
exercising  the  ministry,  as  his  condition  allowed,  and 
habitually  encouraging  and  aiding  every  good  work 
within  his  reach,  and  while  thus  engaged,  death  sud- 
denly arrested  him,  January  23,  1873,  in  the  seventy- 
sixth  year  of  his  age. 

Mr.  Bogue's  person  was  striking  and  imposing,  and  his 
manners  studied,  but  demonstrative  and  elegant.  While 
deliberate  in  utterance,  he  was  vivacious  and  free,  and 
always  earnest,  and  he  made  private  conversation  and 
social  intercourse  the  opportunity  and  means  of  convey- 
ing important  sentiments  he  held  and  advocating  im- 
portant causes  he  embraced.  His  convictions  were 
positive  and  frankly  expressed,  and  favored  conserva- 
tism, and  opposed  radicalism  both  in  religion  and 
reform.  He  led,  in  activity  certainly,  the  opposition  in 
this  region  to  abolitionism  and  new  measures,  and  not 
only  dared  to  resist  them,  but  delighted  to  assail  them. 
The  activity  of  his  temperament  and  his  engagedness 
in  public  affairs  precluded  confinement  to  the  study. 
His  sermons  commanded  attention,  but  more  from  his 


SYNOD     OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YOHK.  467 

natural  force  than  from  investigation  and  reflection. 
He  preached  from  the  impulse  of  the  moment,  and  as 
a  busy  man,  and  not  as  a  profound  scholar  and  elabo- 
rate orator ;  but  divine  testimony  was  often  given  to 
the  words  of  grace  he  spake. 

After  the  notice  of  Rev.  George  >.    Boakdman, 

D.  D.,  on  page  190,  had  passed  through  the  printer's 
hands,  his  death  was  announced,  occuring  atCazenovia, 
February  7,  1877,  in  the  eightieth  year  of  his  age,  and 
preceded  by  only  a  six  days  sickness,  so  slightly  alarm- 
ing, that  at  the  time  he  was  wearing  his  ordinary  dress 
for  the  day.  The  career  of  one  of  the  most  useful 
laborers  on  this  field  thus  closed,  and  that  of  one  of  its 
most  excellent  ministers.  His  whole  life  made  the  im- 
pression of  godliness  on  all  who  were  brought  into 
intercourse  with  him,  and  though  broken  up  in  differ- 
ent settlements  by  prostrating  bereavements,  and  finally 
enfeebled  by  natural  decay,  he  preserved  a  youthful  ap- 
ance  and  spirit  to  the  last,  and  kept  up  his  activity. 
Not  a  great  man,  a-  measured  by  the  ordinary  standard 
of  intellectuality,  he  was  a  great  man,  judged  by  the 
individuality  and  effectiveness  of  his  methods  of  work. 
[ndependent  in  his  opinions,  tenacious  of  his  n 
labor,  and  yet  bold  and  enterprising  enough  to  adopt 
the  good  in  what  .  and  as  earnest  in  private  in- 

terviews as  in  public  performance,  from  his  convei 

to  Christ  to  his  translation  by  him,  he  was  a  continuous 

sing  to  t;.  he  served  and  the  com- 

munities to  which  he  belonged.     Conscientiously  and 

devotedly  a  I'  ian,  .still  more  was  he  a  Christian, 

and  other  denominations  divided  with  his  own  the  hifirh 


468  PRESBYTERIANISM  IN  THE 

respect  and  warm  regard  entertained  for  him,  and  when 
good  men  bore  liim  to  his  burial,  the  whole  town  paused 
in  its  business,  closed  its  shops,  and  put  its  homes  in 
mourning.  Among  Dr.  Boardman's  classmates  at 
Princeton  were  Rev.  Norris  Bull,  Drs.  William  Chester, 
John  Goldsmith,  Moses  Hunter,  William  Nevins,  Wil- 
liam B.  Sprague,  Absalom  Peters,  Prof.  Charles  Hodge 
and  Bishop  John  Johns. 

Rev.  William  H.  Bradford  was  a  native  of  Coop- 
erstown,  August  5,  1814,  the  youngest  of  ten  children 
of  Esek  and  Huldah  (Skinner)  Bradford,  and  of  the 
sixth  generation  from  William  Bradford,  second  Gov- 
ernor of  Plymouth  Colony.  He  prepared  for  college 
at  the  Cortland  Academy,  Homer,  and  graduated  from 
Hamilton  in  1833,  with  Rev.  Julius  Foster,  Rev.  S.  P.  M. 
Hastings,  Rev.  Dr.  David  Malin  and  Prof.  Oren  Root 
among  his  classmates.  He  then  studied  law  for  two 
years,  designing,  perhaps,  to  make  that  his  profession ; 
but  he  had  publicly  professed  the  Saviour  in  the  church 
at  Homer,  while  attending  the  academy  there,  and  his 
vows  to  the  Lord  turned  him  to  the  ministry.  Finish- 
ing the  curriculum  at  xiuburn  Theological  Seminary, 
he  was  licensed  to  preach  by  the  Presbytery  of  Cayuga, 
and  in  1838  was  ordained  by  the  Presbytery  of  Tioga, 
and  installed  in  Berkshire,  N.  Y.,  the  only  parish  in 
which  he  ever  settled.  In  1840,  he  entered  the  office  of 
the  New  York  Evangelist  and  spent  seventeen  years 
there  as  assistant  and  principal  editor.  The  main  work 
of  his  life  was  performed  in  this  situation  and  performed 
with  consummate  grace  and  ability.  The  most  unas- 
suming and   gentle  of  men,   he   wielded   a  ready  and 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  \\\\) 

powerful  pen,  guided  by  faultless  taste  and  supplied  by 
large  and  varied  knowledge,  escaping  the  irritations 
which  editors  so  almost  universally  produce,  and  yet 
free  and  frank  and  positive  in  what  lie  wrote.  His 
fondness  for  the  occupation  and  his  zeal  in  it  drew  and 
impelled  him  to  excessive  exertion,  and  release  from  it 
became  imperious,  lie  was  connected  for  a  time  with 
the  publishing  h<  >use  i >f  1  vcrson,  Phinney  <Sc  Co.,  as  editor 
of  their  books,  but  he  bad  exhausted  himself  too  much 
for  even  the  lighter  labor  there,  and  he  sought  entire 
pest  among  his  former  parishioners  in  Berkshire.  lie 
paused  too  late,  however,  and  April  1, 1SG1,  death  over- 
came him  in  Homer,  at  the  bouse  of  his  brother,  lion. 
<i.  \Y.  Bradford.  Small  in  person,  and  without  beauty 
of  face,  Mr.  Bradford  inspired  invariable  respect,  and 
there  was  a  charm  about  him  that  drew  all  hearts  to  him. 
Seldom  are  intellect  and  intelligence  and  cultivation  and 
energy  so  combined  with  modesty  and  attractive™ 

Rev.  William  .1.  BBADFORDwa*  born  ;it  Canterbury, 
Windham  county.  (  i..  March  10,  L795,  a  lineal  descendant 
also  of  William  Bradford,  Becond  ( rovernorof  Plymouth 
Colony.  He  early  desired  to  enter  the  ministry  and  gave 
himself  diligentlj  to  study,  with  this  in  view.  Without 
taking  a  oollegiate  course,  he  was  matriculated  at  Prince- 
ton Theological  Seminary  in  1822, and  after  leaving  the 
Seminary,  he  taught  school  first  :it  Pawling,  Dutchess 
county,  and  afterwards,  about  1825,  at  Homer,  X.  Y.. 
:it  the  same  time  pursuing  his  theological  studies.  In 
1826,  ui-  L827,  he  was  ordained  and  installed  over  the 
church  at  Pitcher,  Chenango  county,  and  built  it  up, 
remaining  there  seven  or  eight  vears.     In  1884,  lie  wan 


470  PRESBYTERIAN  ISM  IN  THE 

settled  at  Berkshire,  Tioga  county,  and  in  1837  at  Mara- 
thon,  Cortland  county,  supplying  Freetown  also.  In 
1854,  lie  removed  to  Lysander,  Onondaga  county,  in  * 
take  charge  of  a  Keformed  (Dutch)  Church  there,  but 
in  1858  returned  to  Marathon,  where  he  purchased  a 
farm,  and  died,  79  years  old,  March  8,  1874.  He  was 
an  active  servant  of  the  Lord,  and  in  spite  of  partial 
blindness  and  painful  disease,  he  filled  the  pulpit  at 
Freetown  very  nearly  to  the  close  of  his  life 

Rev.  Oliver  Broxson  was  born  at  Utica,  1826.  the 
son  of  Judge  Greene  C.  Bronson,  one  of  the  most  dis- 
tinguished jurists  the  State  has  produced.  Graduating 
from  Hamilton  College,  in  1845,  he  entered  his  father's 
office,  and  in  1848  was  admitted  to  the  Bar.  Hope 
fully  converted,  and  uniting  with  the  First  Church,  he 
could  not  be  contented  with  the  practice  of  the  law. 
and  in  185 L  he  left  it  and  went  to  Auburn  Seminary, 
and  passed  through  its  course  of  theological  study. 
He  filled  the  pulpit  at  Sherburne,  1858-4,  and  served 
as  pastor  of  the  Reformed  (Dutch)  Church,  Kinder- 
hook,  1854-7,  and  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  Janes- 
ville,  Wis.,  1858,  and  died  January  10,  1860.  Of  su- 
perior and  disciplined  mind  and  well  read,  of  slight 
figure  and  refined  manners  and  gentlemanly  appear- 
ance, he  was  grave  and  thoughtful,  with  a  countenance 
of  delicacy  and  intelligence,  and  also  of  decision  and 
earnestness.  Seldom  have  I  been  so  much  interested 
in  a  young  man  under  my  ministry,  and  marrying  him 
to  one  to  whom  1  was  similarly  related  and  whom  I 
equally  esteemed,  1  rejoiced  in  his  purpose  to  leave  the 
Bar   for  the  Pulpit,  and  my  heart    followed   him  to  the 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  471 

end  of  his  career.  Never  of  robust  health,  the  symp- 
toms of  serious  disease  were  almost  cotemporaneous 
with  the  beginning  of  his  preaching,  and  more  precisely 
with  the  beginning  of  his  pastorship.  lie  was  eligibly 
settled  at  Kinderhook,  among  a  people  congenial  with 
him,  and  in  a  field  of  much  promise  of  usefulness. 
The  enthusiasm  of  his  first  coming  had  been  converted 
into  great  respect  and  confidence  and  abiding  affection, 
and  his  fcibors  were  telling  with  increasing  effect.  Alas, 
warning  was  given  that  he  must  immediately  leave, 
and  almost  fleeing  for  life,  he  sought  refuge  in  the 
Northwest  He  was  soon  as  much  ingratiated  in  the  es- 
teem  and  love  of  the  people  at  Janesville  as  he  had 
been  in  the  esteem  and  love  of  the  people  at  Kinder- 
hook,  and  for  a  time  he  worked  with  his  former  ener- 
gy. It  was  but  a  respite  from  decline.  That  returned 
and  accelerated  its  speed,  and  rapidly  bore  him  to  tin- 
g-rave. The  tears  of  kindred  and  friends  mingled 
with  those  of  the  circles  in  which  lie  had  moved,  and 
of  the  communities  in  which  he  had  lived,  and  were 
the  weeping  of  :t  grief  and  bereavement  felt  in  com- 
mon by  all  the  mourners.  The  worth  of  the  deceased 
jroung  minister  cannot  well  be  expressed,  —  but  the 
character  of  his  preaching  is  indicated  by  a  posthumous 
volume  of  sermons  prepared  for  the  ordinary  services 
of  the  pulpit,  and  with  no  thought  of  the  press.    There 

-  ;i  maturity  about  them  befitting  long  experiment  and 
experience,  the  grasp  of  a  master  thinker,  and  the  ar« 

angemenl  and  style  of  a  practiced  rhetorician. 

Rev.  Ya.\   Bi  rchard  was  a  uati\e  of  West  Spring; 
Held,  Mass     Bis  father  Jonathan  Burchard,  served  in 


1 7  2  PRESB  YTER1A  N1SM  IN  THE 

the  Revolutionary  war  and  was  highly  reputed  for  en- 
terprise and  moral  wdrth.  His  mother,  Beulah  (Ely) 
Burchard,  was  distinguished  for  her  talents  and  piety. 
The  family  removed  to  Oneida  county  while  in  its  wil- 
derness state,  and  during  the  childhood  of  their  son. 
A  pioneer  life  trained  Mr.  Burchard  to  hardiness  and 
helpfulness.  His  school  hour  was  the  evening,  and  his 
school  house  was  the  large  hearth,  and  his  light  the 
flame  of  burning  logs.  Such  was  his  foncmess  for 
books  that  he  was  released  from  the  farm,  and  prepar- 
ing for  it  at  the  Oneida  Academy,  (the  germ  of  Ham- 
ilton College,)  he  entered  Yale,  and  in  1811,  graduated 
with  the  highest  honors.  He  took  charge  of  the  Pom- 
pey  Academy,  and  after  holding  it  for  a  season,  went 
to  Schenectady  to  receive  theological  instruction  from 
President  Nott,  of  Union  College.  In  1817,  the 
Oneida  Association  licensed  him  to  preach,  and  soon 
after  ordained  him  and  placed  him  in  the  pastorship  at 
Augusta,  X.  Y.  Here  he  made  full  proof  of  his  abil- 
ities and  attainments  for  a  number  of  years.  Tn  1S27 
he  took  up  a  residence  in  New  Hartford,  1ST.  Y.  and  in 
1830  served  as  stated  supply  for  the  church  in  Vernon 
Centre.  After  that  he  filled  pulpits  occasionally,  but 
none  as  his  own.  He  was  twice  married, — first  to  Har- 
riet, onlv  daughter  of  Gen.  Henry  McNeil,  and  second 
to  Mrs.  Sarah  Van  Epps,  widow  ^{  Abram  Van  Epps. 
Feb.  4,  1866,  he  died  of  pneumonia,  in  Clinton.  N.  Y., 
at  the  house  of  his  son.  Henry  M.  Burchard,  Esq.  One 
who  knew  him  well  writes:  "  As  a  theologian,  he  was 
clear  and  orthodox.  As  a  preacher,  he  was  earnest 
and  faithful,  never  failing  to  declare  the  whole  counsel 
of  G-od.     As  a  man.  he  was  genial  and  affectionate,  and 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  4  To 

everybody  loved  him.  As  a  scholar,  especially  in  the 
classics,  he  had  few  equals.  The  Hebrew  and  Greek 
Scriptures  he  read  with  as  much  ease  and  Queney  as  he 
did  our  own  vernacular.  The  larger  portion  of  his 
life  lie  devoted  to  teaching,  and  in  this  he  was  preemi- 
nently successful,  and  hundreds  in  the  ministry,  and  in 
other  professions,  can  bear  full  testimony  to  his  thor- 
oughness as  an  instructor."  "  J  lis  venerable  and  gr 
hi]  asped  and  genial  spirit,  coupled  with  the  cultivation 
of  every  science  conducive  to  a  knowledge  of  religion, 
and  his  familiarity  with  ancient  and  modern  lore,  made 
the  young  and  old  seek  his  friendship  and  acquaint- 
ance. He  never  forgot  what  he  had  learned,  no  matter 
whether  it  was  an  abstruse  question  in  the  exact  sciences 
or  the  construction  of  a  difficult  sentence  in  the  ancient 
languages,  and  he  was  always  accessible  and  read}'  to 
aid  the  mosl  erudite  or  the  humblest  student.  He  was 
:ii  home  in  whatever  related  to  the  local  and  secret  his- 
tory of  Centra]  New  York,  and  probably  knew  more 
facts  and  incidents  connected  with  the  settlement  of 
that  favored  region  than  almosl  any  man  of  his  day; 
and  few  could  tell  a  more  raej  anecdote,  or  recall  by- 
gone events  with  greater  readiness  and  accuracy." 
uHe  was  remarkable  lor  his  probity  and  promptness, 
lor  his  industry  and  temperance  He  practiced  total 
abstinence  from  principle,  even  from  a  child,  and  the 
eilcct  was  manifested  in  his  physical  vigor.  As  his 
end  was  approaching,  his  son  offered  him  stimulants, 
hut  la-  refused,  saying,  '  Nothing  can  avert  the  issue. 
Tins  is  the  final  conflict1  'Do  you  want  anything, 
father?'  he  was  asked.  'Nothing  but  more  faith."  the 
dying  man  replied.     'Is  Jesus  precious?'     'Altogether 


474  PRESB  YTERIA NI8M  IN  THE 

so,  the  chief  among  ten  thousand/  and  soon  after  he 
breathed  his  last  without  a  struggle  or  groan." 

Arthur  Burtis,  I).  D.,  son  of  Arthur  and  Eliza- 
beth Palmer  Burtis,  was  born  in  New  York  city,  Oct. 
25,  1807.  His  father  was  prominent  in  municipal  cir- 
cles, long  a  member  of  the  Common  Council,  and  for 
many  years  general  Superintendent  of  the  city  Institu- 
tion. The  thought  of  a  House  of  Refuge  for  juvenile 
offenders  originated  with  him,  and  through  his  instru- 
mentality Blackwell's  island  was  bought  and  made  the 
site  of  the  charitable  buildings  since  erected  upon  it. 
Bis  residence  was  at  Bellevue.  and  here  his  son  passed 
his  early  years.  Nothing  was  spared  in  his  education, 
and  he  made  rapid  advances,  particularly  in  the  classics, 
and  while  kept  at  books,  he  was  trained  to  general  in- 
dustry. He  spent  a  year  in  Columbia  College,  and 
was  then  drawn  to  Union  by  the  popularity  of  Presi- 
dent Nott;  and  graduating  under  him  in  1827,  he  be- 
gan the  study  of  law  at  Cherry  Valley.  He  had  pre- 
viously been  much  exercised  about  religion.  Chosen 
Superintendent  of  the  Sunday  school  and  required  to 
open  its  sessions  with  prayer,  his  suspense  ended,  and 
be  was  brought  to  a  decision  for  Christ.  Uniting  with 
the  Bulger  Street  Church.  New  York,  then  under  the 
care  of  Rev.  Dr.  Thomas  McAuley,  he  soon  after  aban- 
doned the  law  and  commenced  preparing  for  the  minis- 
try. In  overcoming  bis  father's  opposition  to  this,  h< 
was  the  means  of  his  father's  hopeful  conversion,  and 
of  bringing  his  whole  family  into  religious  associations 
and  under  religious  influences.  He  spent  two  years 
;it  Princeton  Seminarv.  and  one  at    Auburn,  and   was 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  4  7~> 

licensed  by  Cayuga  Presbytery  in  1833.  lie  first  set- 
tled in  a  Keformed  (Dutch)  Chnrch  at  Fort  Plain,  and 
was  ordained  and  installed  there  by  the  Classis  of 
Montgomery,  in  1835.  Here  he  spent  a  year,  and  was 
then  persuaded  to  go  to  the  Presbyterian  Church  at 
Little  Falls,  where  a  bronchial  affection  soon  unfitted 
him  for  the  pulpit  and  he  sought  recovery  in  silence  at 
Cherry  Valley.  Getting  restless,  he  commenced  trying 
his  voice  in  a  voluntary  agency,  andat  his  own  charges, 
for  the  American  Tract  Society,  and  then  spent  a  year  in  a 
newly  formed  church  at  Binghamton.  From  there  he 
went  to  Oxford,  where  he  spent  seven  years  of  much 
usefulness  and  enjoyment.  Afterwards  he  supplied 
Vernon  for  a  year  :  and  after  the  death  of  Dr.  Hopkins, 
its  pastor,  he  supplied  the  First  Church,  Buffalo,  for 
nine  months,  and  then  took  charge  of  the  South  Church- 
on  Washington  street  of  that  city,  and  at  the  end  of 
three  years,  went  to  the  Tabernacle  Church  on  South 
street,  and  remained  then-  for  four  years.  The  two 
following  years  he  spent  as  agent  of  the  American  and 
Foreign  Christian  Union,  and  after  that,  addres 
himself  to  the  preparation  of  young  men  for  College. 
In  L866,  he  was  invited  to  teach  Greek  in  Miami  Uni- 
versity, with  the  view  to  his  filling  the  Greek  Pn 
ship;  and  elected  to  this  place,  and  also  to  the  care  ol 
the  church  in  the  town  (Oxford),  be  was  making  ar 
rangements  for  a  home  there,  and  for  the  removal  of 
Ins  Tamils  to  it,  when  a  chronic  disease  of  the  bowels 
was  stimulated  int<>  violence,  and  lie  died  March 23, 
L867.  Professor  Stoddard  <>f  the  University  wrote: 
"  1I<-  began  t<»  tail  about  two  \.  \i..  ami  I  was  called  on 
at    four  a.  \i.     Ilr   was  conscious,  and  could  answer 


476  riiESB  YTE1UANISM  IN  THE 

questions  correctly.  I  asked  if  lie  wished  to  make  any 
communications  in  reference  to  his  family.  Ho  once 
or  twice  said,  'I  will,  soon.'  I  asked,  "Are  your 
sons  Christians?'  He  shook  his  head.  '  Do  you  re- 
quest them  to  meet  von  in  heaven?'  'Oh,  yes!' 
This  question  was  repeated  in  different  forms  and  in 
reference  to  all  his  family,  and  his  replies  were  always 
distinct  and  earnest,  either  by  word  or  sign.  -Do  yon 
send  your  blessing  to  your  family  ?'  '  Yes!"  he  said. 
with  a  most  affectionate  look.  'Do  yon  feel  willing' 
to  commit  them  to  God's  care,  and  are  yon  assured  that 
he  will  take  care  of  them?"  'Yes!'  Almost  his 
last  intelligent  expression,  when  asked  if  he  left  any 
word  for  his  wife,  was.  'Farewell!'  It  was  uttered 
with  an  earnest  and  almost  anxious  look,  but  full  of 
tenderness.  1  asked,  '  Are  you  ready  to  go?'  '  f  trust 
I  am,' was  the  reply.  'Is  Christ  precious?'  "Oh, 
yes!'  'Can  you  commit  your  soul  to  him?"  'Yes!' 
About  twenty  minutes  before  dying,  he  became  insen- 
sible to  external  things,  his  breathing  was  quiet,  and 
his  face  assumed  a  very  calm  and  peaceful  expression, 
and  he  breathed  out  his  life  as  gently  as  an  infant  sink- 
ing to  rest."  Rev.  Iv.  H.  Bishop,  also  professor  in  the 
University,  wrote:  "I  met  him  often  in  public  and 
private,  and  my  esteem  and  reverence  grew  as  1  be- 
came more  intimately  acquainted  with  him.  There 
was  but  one  opinion  in  Oxford.  .  All  esteemed  and 
loved  him.  he  was  so  genial,  so  social,  so  kind,  so  polite 
so  thoughtful  of  the  happiness  <^  others,so  entertaining 
and  instructive  in  his  conversation,  and  so  good."  Re\ . 
Dr,  A.  T.  Chester,  of  Buffalo,  wrote:  -  Dr.  Burtis  was 
a  gentleman   of  the  old   school,  exhibiting  a  gentleness 


SYXOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  -± ,  i 

and  grace  sometimes  in  sharp  contrast  with  the  rougher 

dements  of  our  western  life.  In  scholarship  and  learn- 
ing he  ever  showed  the  effects  of  the  early  solid  foun- 
dation that  had  been  laid,  built  upon,  as  it  had  been,  in 
hi-  college  life,  in  the  careful  study  of  two  professions, 
and  in  the  constant  culture  of  his  whole  career.  In 
his  religious  character  he  was  consistent,  decided  and 
earnest ;  as  a  preacher,  seeking  the  solid  and  true  rather 
than  the  showy  and  fanciful,  and  making  it  ever  mani- 
fest that  he  was  striving  rather  to  honor  his  Master 
than  himself." 

Grace  E.  Phillips,  daughter  of  Judge  Morse,  of 
Cherry  Valley,  was  the  wife  of  Dr.  Burtis.  and  sur- 
vived him  with  three  daughters  and  three  sons. 

Rev.  Samuel  W.  Bush  was  a  native  of  Virginia,  but 
brought  up  in  Albany,  in  a  religions  circle,  and  in  the 
First  Church,  largely  under  the  ministry  of  the  Bainted 
Dr.  Henry  H.  Weed,  and  with  the  fine  advantages  <>f  the 
academy  of  which  Dr.  T.  Romeyn  Beck  was  the  princi- 
pal and  Rev.  Dr.  Peter  Bullions  the  classical  prof<  e 
On  reaching  his  majority,  he  read  law  at  Lenox,  M 
and  edited  :t  newspaper,  bur  some  time  after  his  admifl 
sion  to  the  Bar  In-  returned  to  the  Ministry  and  he  pur- 
sued theological  Btudy  at  Auburn  Seminary,  passing 
through  the  full  course,  L836  9.     Ee  exercised  his  min- 
istry at  Ska:  Norwich,  Cooperstown  and  Bing- 
hamton,  and  filled  the  chaplaincy  of  the  Binghamton 
Inebriate  Asylum  for  ten  years  ami  until  his  death, 
in  tin- 7<>th  year  of  his  age,  March  21,  1877,     M< 
and  retiring,  he  <1M  not  "mind  high  things,"  and  yel 
bis  appearance  and  manners  ;i-  a  gentleman,  I 
understanding  and   intelligence,  In-   manifest  sincerity 


478  PBESB  YTER[ANISM  LY  THE 

and  his  unflinching  and  unfailing  devotion  to  his  call- 
ing, introduced  him  into  cultured  congregations  and 
made  him  acceptable  and  useful  to  them.  Particularly 
was  he  adapted  to  the  last  post  he  held.  His  sympathy 
and  gentleness  and  patience  and  Christian  benevolence, 
his  assiduity  and  judgment,  made  him  the  best  of 
counsellors  and  succorers  for  the  victims  of  vice  whom 
he  sought  to  reclaim,  and  among  them,  perhaps,  he  per- 
formed the  most  valuable  labor  of  his  life.  In  1840, 
he  married  Betsey  Weed,  sister  of  Waring  S.  Weed, 
Binghamton. 

Chares  F.  Butler,  son  of  John  I),  and  Anna 
(Easton)  Butler,  was  born  in  New  Hartford,  Ct,  Janu- 
ary 21,  1790,  and  early  made  a  profession  of  religion. 
He  graduated  with  honor  in  1816,  with  the  last  class 
under  President  D wight,  at  Yale  College.  He  com- 
menced theological  study  with  Rev.  Ebenezer  Grant, 
having  charge  of  an  Academy  in  Bedford,  N.  Y.,  at  the 
same  time.  Licensed  by  the  Association  of  the  East- 
ern District  of  Fairfield  county,  Ct,  he  delivered  his 
first  sermon  at  Bedford,  where  nearly  fifty  years  after- 
wards his  funeral  sermon  was  delivered.  He  supplied 
a  congregation  in  Connecticut  for  a  short  time,  and  was 
then  settled  at  South  Salem,  Westchester  county,  N.  Y., 
for  seven  years,  when  failing  health  compelled  him 
to  resign  and  rest.  His  labors  were  very  prosperous 
here,  as  well  as  assiduous,  seventy  new  communicants 
sitting  down  at  the  Lord's  table  on  a  single  Sabbath. 
Recruited  somewhat,  he  undertook  the  care  of  the 
church  in  Greenwich,  Ot,  and  kept  it  for  ten  years, 
when  a  repeated  failure  of  health  demanded  another 
change,  and   he  removed  to  the  interior  of  tins  State 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  479 

and  accepted  a  call  to  Stockbridge,  Madison  county, 
and  returning  it  after  two  years,  he  went  to  Yerona 
Church,  his  last  pastorate,  and  remained  ten  years. 
Though  physically  disqualified  for  any  stated  charge, 
he  continued  to  preach  from  Sunday  to  Sunday,  mak- 
ing it  his  home  with  his  children  at  Bedford,  X.  V.. 
until  his  death,  August  14,  1866,  of  asthma,  with 
many  infirmities.  His  wife, — Amanda  Bundle, — was 
taken  from  him  in  1841,  and  buried  in  the  cemetery 
at  Verona,  and  at  his  own  desire  he  was  laid  at  her 
side.  Of  eight  children,  seven  attained  to  adult  age. 
Mr.  Butler  was  in  high  repute  for  his  piety,  his  learn- 
ing and  his  pulpit  gifts.  Particularly  was  he  read  In 
the  Scriptures.  He  made  them  his  daily  and  special 
stud}-,  and  stored  his  mind  with  their  truths  and  his 
memory  with  their  words.  Shortly  before  his  death, 
he  repeated  the  119th  Psalm.  He  lived,  too,  incon- 
stant communion  with  God,  retiring  for  the  undivided 
and  undistracted  enjoyment  of  it  morning,  noon  and 
night. 

ftev.  Phinehas  Camp  graduated  a1  Union  College  in 
1811  and  Bpenl  two  years  at  Princeton  Theological  Senv 
inary  in  the  second  class  thai  was  taught  in  that  institu- 
tion, and,  among  the  eighteen  members,  of  which  were 
John  Barnard,  thirty-seven  years  pastor  at  Lima,  N.Y., 
Dr.  John  T.  Edgar,  of  Nashville,  Tenn.,  Dr.  Eliphalet 
W.  Gilbert,  of  Wilmington,  DeL,.and  Dr.  Elisha  Pope 
Swift,  Secretary  of  the  Presbyterian  Board  of  Foreign 
Missions  and  Professor  in  Allegheny  Theological  Semi- 
nary. Mr.  Camp  Bpenl  four  years  at  Lowville,  Lewi- 
county,  and  labored  in  various  places  in  the  northern 
part  of  the  State  and   in  Oneida  county,  and  died  in 


480  PRESBYTERIANISM  IN  THE 

Illinois  in  1868.  Natural  and  without  pretension,  he 
generally  served  our  less  favored  congregations  and  de- 
voted to  them  his  best  energies  and  resources.  His 
tastes  somewhat  affected  the  muses,  and  he  took  pleas- 
ure in  poetic  compositions.  But  this  was  only  his 
by-play.  Preaching  and  the  pastoral  work  were  the 
business  of  his  life,  and  this  he  pursued  with  conscien- 
tious fidelity  and  supreme  delight.  The  genuineness  of 
his  piety  admitted  of  no  doubt,  and  the  indisputableness 
and  tokens  of  it  appeared  wherever  he  was  and  in  what- 
ever ensraged. 


*e""o% 


Kev.  Alfred  E.  Campbell,  D.  D.,  born  in  1802T 
was  the  oldest  son  of  James  S.  Campbell,  Esq.,  of 
Cherry  Valley,  and  a  descendant  in  the  fourth  genera- 
tion of  Mr.  James  Campbell,  one  of  the  party  of  Scotch - 
Irish  from  Londonderry,  N.  H.,  who,  in  1741,  accom- 
panied Kev.  Samuel  Dunlap  in  the  colonization  of 
Cherry  Valley.  He  graduated  from  Union  College  in 
1820,  with  Governor  Seward,  Kev.  Dr.  Laurens  Hick  ok 
and  Dr.  Taylor  Lewis  among  his  classmates.  Immedi- 
ately after,  he  took  charge  of  the  academy  in  his  native 
town  and  studied  law  while  he  taught  school.  He 
soon  turned  from  the  bar  to  the  ministry,  and  in  1822 
began  to  prepare  to  preach  at  the  Princeton  Theological 
Seminary.  His  first  settlement  was  at  Worcester,. 
( )tsego  county,  in  the  twenty-second  year  of  his  ager 
and  his  subsequent  settlements  were  in  Newark  and 
Palmyra,  both  in  Wayne  county,  and  in  Ithaca,  where 
he  followed  Kev.  Dr.  William  AVisner.  The  church  at 
Cooperstown  had  been  parted  asunder,  and  neither  di- 
vision could  well  bear  the  burthen  of  its  own  support. 
A  reunion  was  proposed,  provided  Dr.  Campbell  would 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  4^] 

take  the  pastoral  charge,  and  it  was  not  in  his  heart  to 
decline.  He  remained  for  twelve  years,  in  favor  with 
God  and  man,  when  a  sense  of  duty  left  him  no  altern- 
ative, and  he  went  to  the  Spring  Street  Church,  New 
York.  Twelve  years  after,  the  church  of  Cherry  Valley, 
the  home  of  his  forefathers,  and  the  place  of  his  birth, 
earnestly  besought  him  to  come  to  its  care  and  spend 
the  remainder  of  his  life  in  its  service.  The  temptation 
to  go  was  very  strong,  but  he  was  acting  at  the  time  as 
temporary  Secretary  of  the  American  and  Foreign 
Christian  Union,  and  having  thus  become  acquainted 
with  its  operations,  he  felt  constrained  to  accept  an  in- 
vitation permanently  to  conduct  them.  Jle  was  thus 
occupied  for  twenty  years  and  the  remainder  of  his 
active  life.  Enfeebled  by  toil  and  years,  he  yielded  to 
the  entreaties  of  his  brother,  Samuel  B.  Campbell,  Esq., 
and  made  a  home  near  him  atCastleton,  on  the  Hudson. 
lie  did  not,  however,  long  enjoy  the  repose  and  the 
lovely  scenery  and  the  pleasant  society  about  him.  His 
life  closed  soon  after  his  work,  December  28,  1874,  and 
three  years  beyond  his  three  score  years  and  ten. 

\)\\  Campbell  was  a  man  of  action,  impelled  to  it  b\ 
forces  within  himself  and  led  to  the  best  movements 
and  measures  by  intention  and  instinct.  A  respectable 
scholar  while  at  school,  and  by  no  means  neglectful  af- 
terwards of  boohs  and  thought,  his  gift  was  for  affairs 
rather  than  for  reading  and  reflection.  His  pulpit  prep- 
arations were  generally  popular,  but  more  from  the  free 

Outflow  of  his  heart  than  from  the  laborious  exercise  of 
his  mind.      A    line   person  helped    him    in    his   delivery, 

and  a  fine  manner  contributed  to  the  effect  A  gentle- 
man  in    himself   and    broughl    up   as    ;i    jjent leiiian.  he 


482  PRESBYTER1AN1SM  IN  THE 

graced  and  gratified  the  social  circle,  and  his  genuine 
kindness  and  sympathy  and  love  of  souls  endeared  him 
to  a  parish  and  made  him  a  blessing  to  it.  He  recog- 
nized the  claims  upon  him  of  his  denomination  and  of 
the  church  at  large,  and  of  the  public  in  general,  and 
actively  participated  in  ecclesiastical  proceedings  and  in 
movements  for  moral  reform  and  the  common  welfare. 
His  benevolence  was  expansive,  and  suiting  his  actions 
to  his  prayers,  he  sought  the  doing  of  God's  will  on 
earth  as  in  heaven. 

Sherman  Bond  Oanfield,  D.D.,  was  born  in  the 
village  of  Hampden,  Geauga  county,  Ohio,  his  parents, 
who  removed  from  Massachusetts,  being  among  the 
first  settlers  of  the  "Western  Reserve."  He  fitted  for 
college  at  Burton  Academy  and  graduated  from  Yale 
in  the  class  of  1883.  At  the  age  of  twenty-seven,  he 
was  ordained  by  the  Presbytery  of  Cleveland  and  in- 
stalled at  Bainbridge,  Ohio,  where  he  remained  two 
years,  and  then  spent  i\\v  years  as  pastor  at  West 
Cleveland,  (then  Ohio  city.)  In  1841,  he  took  charge 
of  a  colony  of  fifty-eight  from  the  First  Church,  Cleve- 
land, just  organized  as  the  Second  Church.  The  period 
of  his  pastorate  of  nine  years  there,  was  one  of  excite- 
ment, discussion  and  distraction,  and  Dr.  Can  field  stood 
as  a  bulwark  against  heresy  and  disorder,  while  he  was 
the  counsellor  of  moderation  and  a  peace-maker.  Ober- 
lin  was  then  rising  to  power  and  sending  out  its  early 
novelties.  Particularly  was  Prof.  Mahan  busy  with 
his  perfectionism,  and  the  young  proselytes  to  it  were 
Indefatigable  in  proselyting  others.  The  Presbytery  of 
Cleveland  could    not,  in   justice  to   its  churches,  keep 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  L83 

silent  ou  the  subject,  and  its  refutation  of  the  doctrine 
and  its  warning  against  it,  penned  by  Dr.  Canfield,  was 
the  ablest  paper  published  on  the  subject  and  the  most 
effective.  The  times  were  unfavorable  to  spiritual 
influences,  and  yet  three  hundred  and  forty-nine  were 
added  to  the  sixty-five  with  whom  Dr.  Canfield  com- 
menced his  ministry  at  Cleveland,  only  forty-nine  of 
them,  however,  on  a  profession  of  faith,  and  only  two 
hundred  and  seventy-two  remaining  after  deducting 
deaths  and  removals.  Three  other  churches  were  fori tied 
in  the  city  while  he  labored  there,  and  somewhat  checked 
the  growth  of  his  own,  the  Westminster,  the  Euclid 
Street  and  the  "Free  Presbyterian.*'  (now  the  Plymouth 
Congregational) — the  latter  taking  its  name  from  its  as- 
sumed superior  abstinence  from  all  complicity  in  slavery 
In  the  spring  of  1854,  lie  went  to  the  charge  of  the 
First  Church,  Syracuse,  and  continued  in  it  for  nearh 
seventeen  years,  and  until  vanquished  by  disease,  with 
which  he  had  heroically  struggled  for  many  years.  He 
followed  Dr.  Adams,  whose  standing  with  the  people 
scarcely  permitted  a  successor,  and  Rev.  Charles  K.  b&& 
Barg,  whose  youth  and  persona]  attractiveness  and  pul- 
pit gifts  were  rapidly  gathering  about  him,  daring  his 
brief  pastorship,  an  esteem  which,  while  it  drew  noth- 
ing from  Dr.  Adams,  insinuated  itself  into  an  associa- 
tion with  what  was  borne  him.  1m-.  Canfield  had 
scarcely  a  single  quality  in  common  with  those  who 
preceded  him,  save  devotednese  to  his  people  and  his 
profession.  Intensity  of  application  gave  a sel  expres- 
sion i"  In-  countenance  and  allowed  bim  little  practice 
in  the  ornamentation  and  captivating  manners  and 
methods  of  life:  and  while  eminently  kind  and  genial, 


484  PRESBYTERIANISM  IN  THE 

there  was  a  stiffness,  and  even  something  of  an  un- 
gainliness  about  him,  which,  while  it  was  not  repellant, 
was  not  winning.  His  solid  worth  counterbalanced  his 
disadvantages.  Of  a  strong  and  clear  mind,  he  set  no 
limits  to  studio usness  this  side  of  exhaustion,  and  per- 
sistently kept  it  up  while  his  strength  lasted.  His  in- 
vestigations extended  to  every  department  of  theology 
and  its  connected  literature  and  science.  He  was  well 
informed  in  polite  letters,  in  the  classics,  in  natural 
science,  in  mental  and  moral  philosophy,  in  the  original 
languages  of  the  Scriptures,  in  Biblical  literature  and 
interpretation,  and  in  doctrinal  and  polemic  divinity. 
Especially  was  he  learned  in  history,  both  ecclesiastical 
and  secular.  One  of  his  publications,  a  lecture  on  Oli- 
ver Cromwell,  is  an  admirable  delineation  of  the  Pro- 
tector and  of  his  age,  and  exhibits  the  writer's  faculty 
and  acquirements.  Thorough  in  whatever  he  did,  his 
hearers  confided  in  his  exhaustiveness  and  precision, 
and  never  feared  to  receive  what  he  communicated. 
Of  comparatively  little  imagination  and  spontaneous- 
oess,  or  bodily  presence  or  gracefulness,  the  power  of 
his  preaching  was  in  its  matter,  and  this  was  so  elaborate 
and  important  that  it  could  not  fail  to  fix  the  attention. 
The  study  and  the  pulpit  did  not  imprison  Dr.  Canfield. 
He  was  too  conscientious  to  be  immured  there,  and  too 
cognizant  of  the  means  of  a  minister's  success.  Dili- 
genl  and  systematic  in  his  studies  and  pulpit,  he  was 
quite  as  diligent  and  systematic  in  his  parish,  making 
his  visits  with  clock-like  uniformity  and  regularity. 
And  he  attended  t<>  the  business  of  the  society,  coope- 
rating and  counselling  with  the  trustees,  and  inspiring 
and   inciting  them.     When   he   reached  Syracuse,  the 


SYNOD  OF  VENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  |  -  ; 

church  edifice  was  built,  but  under  his  impulse  and 
lead  the  fine  organ  up,  the  chapel  was  com- 

pleted and  furnished,  the  grounds  were  laid  out  and 
enclosed  and  the  walks  laid,  the  ex;  -  .  ching  at 
110,000.  The  diffidence  and  invalidism  of  Dr. 
Adams  had  precluded  the  training  of  The  people  in 
imatic  and  liberal  benevolence,  and  I)r.  Canfield 
addressed  himself  to  the  making  up  of  this  lack  of 
service,  and  the  contributions  on  the  roll  of  the  Gen- 
eral Assembly  became  more  just  and  complimentary  to 
the  church,  lb'  was  alwa  -  i  3ent  at  the  meetings  i 
tli.-  ecclesiastical  bodies  to  which  he  belonged,  and  ab 
-  noticeable  in  them.  Zealous  for  the  "  Reunion,'1 
the  paper  of  the  Onondaga  P  -  rtery,  written  by  him, 
e  of  the  best  of  the  large  number  published  <>n  it. 
He  appeared  prominently  Beveral  times  in  the  sessions 
of  the  General  Assembly,  and  quite  frequently  in  the 
Board  of  Commissioners  of  Auburn  Seminary.  Puri- 
tan blood  coursed  bis  veins,  and  he  could  not  hut  warm 
upon  all  questions  of  public  principle.  The  assault 
on  the  Union  in  the  interest  of  Blavery  fairly  fired  him, 
and,  few  pulpits  in  the  land  poured  out  hotter  denun- 
ciations and  appeals. 

For  years  Dr.  Canfield  kept  up  a  hand  to  hand  fight 
with  death.  It  is  wonderful  with  what  courage  and 
obstinacy  be  held  his  own,  and  t<»  what  defences  and 
weapon-   he    resorted     Hi-    borne,  ai  ially   hi< 

Btudy,  was  a  field  of  battle,  where  every  description  of 
armor  appeared,  and  where  every  Bpecies  of  conflict 
went  on.  In  the  much  that  was  noticeable  that  1  >aw 
in  him,  and  in  the  much  that  triking  that   1  •• 

ceived,  my  liveliest  recollection  is  of  what  I  witn< 


486  PliESBYTEMAMSM  IN  THE 

and  listened  to  here.  Submissive  to  the  divine  will, 
ready  to  give  up  when  the  Lord  signified  this  as  his 
wish,  with  a  sense  of  obligation  to  preserve  his  life  as 
long  as  it  was  meeted  out  to  him,  Dr.  Canfield  fought 
as  in  desperation,  and  his  descriptions  of  the  conflicts 
and  of  his  accoutrements  and  plans,  are  among  the 
most  fresh  and  affecting  of  my  recollections  of  him. 

After  demitting  the  care  of  the  church  in  Syracuse, 
Dr.  Canfield  lived  in  great  debility,  but  with  unim- 
paired resolution.  He  made  excursions  in  the  hope  of 
improvement,  and  whenever  possible,  he  supplied  pul- 
pits. In  the  early  spring  of  1871,  he  traveled  as  far  as 
St.  Louis,  and  on  the  morning  of  Sunday,  March  5th, 
he  preached  for  the  Eev.  Mr.  Nott,  and  a  few  hours 
afterwards  suddenly  passed  where  death  has  no 
more  dominion  over  him,  and  can  never  so  much  as 
approach  him.  The  people  of  his  parish  at  Syracuse 
met  to  condole  with  each  other,  and  to  testify  to  their 
regard  for  him,  and  adopted  the  resolution  :  ,k  That  by 
Dr.  Canfield's  untiring  labors  as  our  pastor  for  nearly 
seventeen  years,  by  his  sympathy  with  us,  his  vigilant 
watchfulness  over  us,  the  depth  and  clearness  of  his 
instructions,  his  talents,  his  learning,  his  devotedness to 
the  Master  and  love  of  souls,  and  his  exemplary  walk 
and  conversation,  he  has  produced  in  our  hearts  the 
strongest  and  warmest  feelings  of  respect,  kindness  and 
love,  and  that  our  sweetest  memories  will  ever  clu£ 


Rev.  Frederick  Edwards  Cannon,  D.  D.,  was  a 
native  of  Massachusetts,  and  of  the  class  of  1822  in 
Union  College,  and  of  the  class  of  1824  in  Andove 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  SEW  YORK.  4^7 

Seminary.  Ordained  October  12,  1825,  he  was  settled 
at  Ludlow,  Vt.,  from  1826  to  1831,  and  at  Potsdam 
from  1881  to  1836.  Much  beloved  and  prospered  in 
the  pastoral  charge,  his  impaired  health  compelled 
him  to  leave  it,  and  entering  the  District  Secretaryship 
of  the  American  Board  in  1836,  he  remained  in  it,  per- 
forming its  duties  with  diligence  and  ability,  until  1868, 
when  a  stroke  of  paralysis  shattered  his  limbs  and  staid 
his  activity.  He  had  lived  in  a  pleasant  home  at  Ge- 
neva during  the  period  of  his  Secretaryship,  and  there- 
he  remained  in  enforced  rest,  submissive* to  the  com- 
parative confinement  and  helplessness,  and  making  the 
most  of  his  opportunities  for  usefulness  and  spirituality, 
until  death  opened  his  passage  to  heaven  and  dismissed 
him  there.  Dr.  Cannon  won  the  regard  of  his  parish- 
ioners by  his  excellence  and  faithfulness  and  greatly 
blessed  them.  Traversing  the  western  part  of  the 
-  be  in  the  interest  of  Foreign  Missions,  he  was  uni- 
»ily  known  to  the  churches  and  ministers  and  ac- 
ceptable to  them,  and  the  large  sum  he  gathered  for 
in-  great  cause,  very  imperfectly  denotes  the  amount 
in-  accomplished  for  it. 

The  Rev.  James  Carnahan,  D.  U.  LL.  D.,  was 
born  near  Carlisle,  Pa.,  Nov.  L5,  1775,  the  son  of  M. 
Carnahan,  of  the  Revolutionary  army.  Bis  ancestors 
came  t<>  this  country  from  the  north  of  Ireland  and 
settled  in  Cumberland  county,  Pa.,  about  1T"J<».  In 
1780  his  father  removed  to  Westmoreland  county  and 
the  neighborhood  <»f  Pittsburg,  and  was  drowned  in 
L788,  while  attempting  to  cross  the  Alleghanj  river 
For  five  years  after,  the  son   labored  on  the  farm  in 


488  PRESBYTERIAN  ISM  IN  THE 

summer  and  attended  school  in  winter.  In  1793,  he 
began  the  study  of  Latin  at  Canonsburg,  and  in  1707 
took  the  charge  of  the  Classical  Department  in  the 
Academy  there  jointly  with  Joseph  Stockton,  and  the 
following  year  studied  mathematics  under  Prof.  Miller, 
subsequently  of  Jefferson  College.  In  1798  he  entered 
the  junior  class  at  the  College  of  New  Jersey,  Prince- 
ton, and  took  his  first  degree  in  the  arts  in  September. 
1800.  In  1795,  he  made  a  public  profession  of  his 
faith  in  Christ  at  Chartiers,  under  the  ministry  of  Dr. 
John  McMillan,  and  after  graduating  at  Princeton,  com- 
menced the  study  of  theology  at  his  home  and  under 
his  pastor.  In  the  fall  of  1801,  he  accepted  a  tutorship 
in  his  Alma  Mater  and  kept  it  until  1803,  pursuing  at 
the  same  time  his  preparation  for  the  ministry.  In  De- 
cember of  that  year  he  married  Mary,  daughter  of 
Matthew  and  Lydia  Vandyke,  of  Mapleton,  near  Kings- 
ton, N.  J.,  and  the  following  spring  was  licensed  To 
preach  \>y  the  Presb}rtery  of  New  Brunswick,  at  the 
same  time  with  Rev.  Dr.  John  McDowell.  By  the  ap- 
pointment of  Presbytery  for  five  or  six  weeks,  he  sup- 
plied vacant  congregations  at  Hacketstown,  Oxford  and 
Knowlton,  N.  J.,  and  Lower  and  L^pper  Mount  Bethel. 
Pa.  He  preached  for  two  or  three  Sundays  in  the  fol- 
lowing June,  for  the  Reformed  (Dutch)  in  Albany,  and 
without  knowing  that  any  congregations  m  that  part  of 
the  country  were  unsupplied,  he  extended  his  trip  to 
Central  New  York,  and  not  spending  more  than  a  week 
there,  he  filled  the  unoccupied  pulpit  of  the  church  of 
Whitesboro  and  Utiea.  A  call  to  both  the  Dutch 
Church  in  Albany  and  the  LTnited  Church  of  Whites- 
town  and  Utica  soon   readied   him,  the  former  offering 


SYNOD  OF  VENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  489 

a  salary  of  $1,500,  and  the  latter  a  salary  of  $900.  lie 
accepted  the  one  to  Whitesboro  and  Utica,  and  in  Jan- 
nary  5,  1805,  was  settled  over  that  church.  In  the  fall 
of  1811,  he  was  seized  with  an  acute  disease  of  the 
throat  and  kept  his  room  for  more  than  three  months, 
and  early  in  the  spring  he  resigned  *  and  spent  nearly  a 
year  at  his  father-in-law's  home,  unable  to  preach. 
Though  still  deprived  of  his  voice,  he  took  charge  of 
the  Academy  in  Princeton  and  taught  the  classics  there, 
and  in  February,  1814,  he  established  a  High  School  in 
Georgetown,  1).  C,  and  kept  it  up  for  nine  years.  For 
live  years  he  did  not  once  open  his  lips  in  the  pulpit, 
but  recovering  his  voice  in  part,  he  held  neighborhood 
meetings  and  a  weekly  prayer  meeting  in  his  school- 
room. In  May,  1823,  he  was  chosen  President  of  the 
College  of  New  Jersey,  Princeton,  and  after  much 
doubting,  was  inaugurated  the  following  August. 
Retiring  and  diffident,  his  ability  and  scholarship  and 
assiduity  justified  his  election,  and  the  success  of  his 
administration  was  ample  enough  to  satisfy  even  himself 
that  it  was  no  mistake  to  undertake  it.  His  term  of 
office  exceeded  that  of  any  of  his  predecessors,  and  the 
college  prospered  more  than  during  any  previous  pe- 
riod. The  east  and  west  colleges,  a  new  refectory,  ;i 
new  chapel  and  the  elegant  halls  of  llie  literary  societies 
were   built    and    dwellings    erected    or    purchased    for 

*Rev.  Henry  Dwight,  his  immediate  successor  in  Utica,  says  of 
Dr.  Carnahan's  ministry  in  Utica  and  Whitesboro:  "  The  members 
added  to  the  church  during  his  seven  years'  labor  for  it  were  not 
numerous,  still  the  seed  of  divine  truth  was  scattered  with  a  libe- 
ral hand.  The  minds  of  this  congregation  were  enlightened, 
their  morals  were  improved,  and  a  preparation  whs  gradually 
made  for  a  great  enlargement  of  the  church." 


490 


PRESBYTERIANISU  IN  THE 


three  professors,  1680,  were  graduated  between  1748 
and  1S23  and  1713,  in  the  thirty  years  of  Dr.  Carna- 
han's  presidency.  At  his  resignation,  in  1854,  he  re- 
tained quite  vigorous  health  apparently,  and  the  full 
possession  of  his  faculties.  Not  long  after,  exposure  at 
the  funeral  of  a  clerical  friend  brought  on  illness,  quite 
slight  apparently,  at  first,  but  gradually  increasing. 
In  the  autumn  of  l£58,  he  removed,  with  the  hope  of 
benefit  from  the  change,  to  the  home  in  Newark,  N.  J., 
of  his  son-in-law,  William  R  McDonald,  Esq.  He  was 
disappointed,  however,  in  the  effect,  and  continued  to 
fail  until  March,  1859,  when  his  exhausted  nature 
gave  out,  and  he  was  laid  in  the  grave  yard  at  Prince- 
ton in  the  midst  of  his  distinguished  predecessors, 
Aaron  Burr,  Jonathan  Edwards,  Samuel  Davies,  John 
Witherspoon,  Samuel  Stanhope  Smith  and  Ashbel 
Green. 

Dr.  Carnahan's  sole  pastoral  charge  was  that  of 
Whitesboro  and  Utica,  and  he  was  the  second  minister 
installed  there.  The  excellence  of  his  character,  the 
faultlessness  of  his  conduct,  the  dignity  of  his  person 
the  soundness  of  his  judgment,  his  conscientiousness 
his  strength  of  intellect,  his  attainments,  his  industry 
his  faithfulness,  the  finish  and  richness  of  his  sermons 
gave  him  a  high  standing  and  a  firm  footing  in  the 
congregation  and  in  the  community,  and  regard  for 
him  lasted  while  a  parishioner  or  fellow  townsman  sur 
vi\  ed.  Several  of  the  number,  aged  people  then,  and 
now  long  departed  this  life,  often  spoke  to  me  of  him 
more  than  ;i  quarter  of  a  century  since,  and  their  feel- 
ings towards  him  were  as  fresh  as  when  he  served  them. 
<  hire  it  was  my  privilege  and  pleasure  to  welcome  him 


S TNOD  OF  LEX TEA L  NE W  YORK.  -\\)\ 

to  the  place  where  lie  began  and  completed  his  active 
ministry,  and  to  renew  an  acquaintance  I  had  formed 
with  him  during  my  theological  course  at  Princeton. 
He  never  lost  interest  in  his  parish,  and  some  of  his 
last  thoughts  respected  it.  Among  his  legacies  was 
the  large  and  finely  executed  portrait  of  himself  be- 
queathed to  the  First  Church,  I'tiea.  and  now  hanging 
on  the  walls  of  its  parlor.  He  could  not  be  called  a 
popular  preacher,  and  comparatively  few  were  per- 
suaded by  him  to  embrace  the  Saviour, — but  his  hearers 
listened  to  clear  proclamations  of  truth  and  felt  the 
general  influence  these  could  not  fail  to  exert 

Xo  brilliance  Lighted  Dr.  Carnahan  up.  and  he  shrunk 
from  and  repelled  everything  that  would  have  given 
notoriety  to  him.  He  sought  seclusion  and  lied  con 
spicuousnos.  So  unassuming  was  he,  that,  as  has  I 
said  of  him:  "He  ran  the  apostolic  injunction  not  to 
think  of  himself  more  highly  than  he  ought  to  think, 
beyond  the  letter  of  the  text,  and  probably  beyond  its 
spirit '•  But  he  had  Btrong  faculties,  which  he  highly 
cultured,  and  line  scholarship  <  i . ».  ►« i  sense  distin- 
guished him,  and  a  knowledge  of  the  common  affaire 
of  life  and  great  skill  in  disposing  of  the  little  matters 
which  make  up  the  larger  part  of  life,  lie  was  inde- 
pendent in  his  opinions  and  tenacious  of  them,  while 

always  ..pen    to  information    that    might  modify    them. 

and  he  was  as  liberal  in  according  others  their  rights  in 
this  regard  as  be  was  exacting  of  In.-  own.  And 
though  unpretentious  and  unobtrusive,  he  was  resolute 
and  courageous,  aever  evading  a  responsibility,  nor 
cowing  before  danger  and  intimidation  Bewashon- 
est   in   In-  sentiments  and  teachings,  as  well  as  in  his 


4^2  PRESBYTKR1ANISM  IN  THE 

dealings,  artless  and  simple,  exempt  from  jealousy  and 
suspicion,  and  of  an  evenness  of  temper  that  no  provo- 
cation and  no  suffering  and  no  situation  could  disturb. 
He  was,  above  all,  a  genuine  Christian, — not  demon- 
strative, but  rather  reticent,  and  yet  naturally  and  un- 
consciously exhibiting  the  spirituality  of  his  disposi- 
tion. His  religion  irresistibly  came  out  at  his  death. 
The  composure  so  noticeable  in  his  life  was  undisturbed 
then.  He  expressed  no  wish  to  live, — no  fear  to  die. 
When  asked  if  all  was  peace,  he  replied  with  some  em- 
phasis :  "  Yes,  yes,  yes !"  And  when  prayer  was  pro- 
posed and  he  was  asked  if  there  was  any  petition  he 
particularly  desired  to  have  offered,  he  replied,  "  Xot  to 
live,  or  do  not  pray  that  I  may  live ;"  and  his  last  words 
were,  "  Oh  !  the  glorious  gospel  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour 
Jesus  Christ!"'  "On  the  15th  of  August,  1854,  a  few- 
weeks  after  my  connection  with  the  college  ceased,'7  he- 
wrote  in  a  private  manuscript.  July  21, 1856,  "  Mary,  who 
had  been  the  partner  of  my  joys  and  sorrows  more 
than  half  a  century,  departed  this  life.  Shortly  after 
this  sad  event,  I  removed  to  my  farm,  and  here  I  am, 
in  my  81st  year,  waiting  for  the  day,  which  cannot  be 
far  distant,  when  the  Lord  shall  call  me  hence,  to  give 
an  account  of  my  stewardship.  Inspecting  the  manner 
in  which  I  have  performed  the  various  duties  of  my 
life,  I  sa\  nothing.  Men  will  think  and  say  what  they 
please  respecting  this  matter.  In  the  sight  of  God,  I 
know  and  feel  that:  I  have  been  an  unprofitable  servant 
And  my  only  hope  of  acceptance  at  that  holy  tribunal 
where  1  must  shortly  stand,  is  the  sovereign  mercy  of 
God,  through  the  merits  and  intercession  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ." 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  493 

Rev.  Oren  Catlin  was  Lorn  in  this  State,  and  grad- 
uated from  Hamilton  College  in  ISIS,  and  from  Ando- 
ver  Seminary  in  1822.  Ordained  as  a  missionary  to 
Illinois,  September  26,  1822,  he  fulfilled  his  commis- 
sion until  1829,  when  he  was  invited  to  Warren,  Mass., 
and  remained  there  until  1832.  Jle  then  went  as  stated 
supply  to  Cincinnatus,  and  left  in  1834  for  Oastleton. 
In  183S  he  took  the  pastorship  at  Horseheads,  and  in 
18-12  at  Newfield,  and  in  1844  at  Collins,  and  August 
11,  1850,  he  died  at  Evans,  aged  55.  A  good  man,  of 
solid  abilities  and  attainments  and  of  commendable  in- 
dustry, neither  his  appearance  in  private  nor  his  pulpit 
exercises  secured  him  general  popularity,  and  it  was 
his  lot  to  "travel  the  circuit"  The  good  he  did  was 
distributed  through  numerous  congregations,  and  per- 
haps aggregated  as  much  as  that  of  his  brethren  in  sin- 
gle congregations.  As  worthy  of  usefulness  as  most 
who  manifestly  achieve  it  and  in  concentrated  forms,  it 
cannot  be  supposed  that  he  fell  far  short  of  them  in  it. 
Humble  in  mein,  and  occupying  humble  situations,  and 
rapidly  passing  from  one  to  another,  it  may  be  that 
a  large  company  of  the  redeemed  will  be  presented  in 
beaven  as  his  wages  for  scattered  labors  on  earth. 

Rev.  Joel  Chapin,  R  .  Dr.  Williston,  "  was  m\ 
classmate  in  Dartmouth  College.  Be  graduated  in 
1791,  at  the  ageof  30 years.  Be  had  served  in  the  army 
in  the  war  of  the  Revolution.    Be  had  entered  the  sen  ice 

of  (  '1  risl  before  Q<  .111  health  retarded 

his  entrance  into  the  ministerial  work.  It  also  short- 
ened the  time  of  bis  active  labors  In  preaching  the 
gospel.     Bui  I  believe  be  did  good  as  long  as  be  lived. 


494  PltESB  TTER1ANISM  IN  THE 

I  think  lie  died  in  1845."  He  was  ordained  at  Jericho 
(now  North  Bainbridge), — this  being  the  first  ecclesias- 
tical-act  of  the  kind  performed  in  the  territory  of  the 
Synod, — and  proved  worthy  of  the  office  to  which  he 
was  set  apart.  A  man  of  equable  temper,  he  was  par- 
ticularly well  adapted  to  the  part  which  a  minister  is 
called  to  take  in  easing  the  friction  and  subduing  the 
effervesence  of  the  formative  periods  of  societj*.  He 
was  disqualified  for  service  for  many  years  by  deafness 
and  other  infirmities,  but  lived  to  an  advanced  age. 
One  who  knew  him  well  describes  him  as  "  eminently 
useful  in  transacting  ecclesiastical  business  and  in  re- 
conciling difference  among  brethren." 

Augustus  Lyman  Chapin  was  born  in  Massachu- 
setts, graduated  from  Yale  College,  1817.  and  spent 
two  years  at  Princeton  Seminary,  in  the  class  with, 
among  others,  lh-<.  Robert  Baird,  Charles  C.  Beatty, 
John  Breckenridge,  William  Patten,  George  Potts,  and 
Artemas  Bishop,  missionary  to  the  Sandwich  Islands. 
Ordained  as  an  evangelist,  September  30,  1829,  he  be- 
gan his  ministry  as  stated  supply  at  Oxford,  and  served 
in  the  same  capacity  successively  at  Sangerfield,  Walton, 
Lexington  Heights,  Galway,  Constableville  andLeyden, 
Clarkson,  Norwich  Corners,  Madison,  Hadlev  Kails, 
Mass.,  and  Andover,  Ct,,  and  then  resided  at  Galesburg, 
Illinois. 

Kev.  David  Chassels,  D.  D.,  was  born  in  Glasgow, 
Scotland,  April  30,  L787,  and  died  at  Holland  Patent. 
January  L0,  L870,— living  nearly  83  years.  When 
eighl  years  old  he  was  brought,  with  his  father's  family. 


OD  OF  'EST UAL  XEW  YORK.  495 

to  this  country,  and  settled  at  Barnet,  Vt.  He  gradu- 
ated from  Dartmouth  College  in  1810,  and  entered  im- 
mediately on  the  charge  of  the  Caledonia  County  Aca- 
demy, Peacham,  Vt  In  1815,  lie  went  to  Cambridge, 
Washington  county,  in  this  State,  as  principal  of  the 
academy  there,  and  was  thus  placed  in  a  community 
sly  composed  of  his  fellow  countrymen,  and  in  the 
tv  of  Revs.  Drs.  Alexander  and  Peter  Bullions. 
While  in  college,  he  had  chosen  the  law  as  his  p: 
sion,  hut  now  he  resolved  on  the  ministry,  and  began 
theological  study,  and  was  licensed  by  the  Presbytery 
of  Troy  in  1810.  and  ordained  l^'_y<>.  Teaching,  how- 
ever, was  indicated  as  his  vocation,  and  in  1821  he  re- 
moved to  Fairfield,  Herkimer  county,  to  pursue  it  in 
the  academy  at  that  place.  In  1S4<>.  lie  made  it  his 
home  in  Newport,  Herkimer  county,  but  soon  after 
I  as  principal  of  the  academy  in  Herkimer  for  two 
3,  and  then  returned  for  two  years  more  to  the 
Fairfield  Academy.  During  all  this  period  of  teaching 
after  his  licensure  and  ordination,  he  was  in  the  habit 
of  preaching,  often  as  a  stated  supply,  bur  generally 
here  and  there  as  opportunity  offered     For  five 

egularly  filled  the  pulpits  at  Fairfield  and  Salisbury. 

and  at  that   time  a  revival  of   unusual  power  and  bless- 

edness  was  experienced  at  Fairfield  His  last  sermon 
delivered  at  the  funeral  of  the  Hon.  Abijah  Maun. 
Decided  apoplectic  symptoms  interdicted  his  further 
teaching  and  preaching,  and  he  spent  tin-  remainde 
his  days  on  alarm  he  purchased  at  Holland  Patent. 
His  pupil-,  a  large  company,  are  scattered o\  er  the  land 
and  i  nan  v<.i'  themoocupy  plaa  •  prominence  and 

usefulness  in  the  State  and  in  the  Church.    He  bad  tbecrifl 


49(5 


PItKiSIiYTERIAmSM  IN  THE 


of  instruction  in  a  preeminent  degree.  His  scholarship 
was  thorough  and  profound.  Accuracy  was  its  special 
trait,  and  to  this  he  trained  those  under  his  tuition. 
He  was  busy  and  vigorous  and  untiring  too,  faithfully 
performing  his  professional  work.  He  was  so  truly  a 
man,  and  so  much  of  a  man,  his  talents  and  acquire- 
ments were  so  superior,  his  teaching  so  earnest  and 
skillful,  and  his  character  so  upright  and  Christian,  his 
whole  self  and  his  whole  life  were  so  worthy  of  respect, 
that  no  scholar  failed  in  deference  and  attachment  to 
him,  and  he  is  now  looked  back  upon  with  the  deepest 
reverence  and  the  warmest  affection.  His  preaching 
was  like  his  teaching  and  like  himself,  instructive, 
thoughtful,  intellectual,  thorough  and  sincere,  and 
soundly  Calvinistic.  Congregations  looked  up  to  him 
as  a  master  in  Israel,  and  though  never  entertained  or 
greatly  moved  by  him,  they  were  impressed  and  profited. 
His  brethren  in  the  ministry  paid  him  much  respect. 
His  school  confined  him,  but  always,  when  free,  he  at- 
tended their  meetings,  and  took  interest  in  the  proceed- 
ings, and  by  his  intelligence  and  excellent  judgment 
and  admirable  spirit,  always  had  a  hearing  when  he 
spoke,  and  exerted  a  decided  influence.  He  proved  as 
good  a  farmer  as  lie  had  been  a  teacher  and  preacher. 
His  fields  showed  his  scientific,  skillful  and  industrious 
culture,  and  furnished  a  model  for  imitation.  His  ex- 
ample was  followed  and  his  ideas  were  carried  out  by 
his  neighbors,  not  a  little  to  the  improvement  and  fa- 
vorable appearance  <>f  their  land  and  buildings,  and  to 
the  increase  of  their  crops  and  stock.  He  showed  prin- 
ciple in  fanning,  as  everywhere  else.  He  lived  in  a 
dairy  district,  where  cheese   factories  presented  an  al- 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  407 

mosl  universally  irresistible  temptation  to  violate  the 
Sabbath.  Not  a  whit  did  they  stir  him,  but  by  his 
own  experiment  he  demonstrated  how  Sunday's  milk 
could  be  kept  at  home  without  damage  or  loss,  Of 
large  size  and  deliberate  movement,  his  head  was  mas- 
sive and  his  face  rugged  in  repose,  but  lighted  up  by 
peculiarly  pleasant  smiles.  His  manners  were  digni- 
fied and  gentlemanly,  and  he  invariably  showed  the 
politeness  to  others  which  he  commanded  towards  him- 
self. 

Rev.  Caleb  Clark  was  horn  in  New  Salem.  Mass., 
L790,  and  graduated  from  Middlebury  College  in  1814, 
and  studied  theology  with  Dr.  Theophilus  Packard. 
Ih'  came  to  Truxtonearly  in  1820,  and.  in  March  of  that 
year,  was  called  to  the  first  pastorate  of  the  church,  and 
before  its  house  of  worship  was  built,  but  was  not 
installed  until  two  years  after.  Dismissed  April  15, 
1S30,  he  returned  in  two  years,  and  acted  as  stated  sup- 
plyforsix  years.  At  the  close  of  thai  period  be  ceased 
the  stated  exercise  of  tin-  ministry,  but  continuing  to  live 
in  Truxton,  la-  filled  the  pulpit  when  not  otherwise 
supplied,  and  died,  having  never  married,  of  canc< 
the  stomach,  October  24,  lN<'»-';.  He  was  a  man  of  de- 
cided ability,  well  versed  in  science  and  literature,  and 
in  theologj  and  Biblical  interpretation,  forming  his 
opinions  with  studv  and  thought,  and  tenaciously  hold- 
ing them  and  fearlessly  proclaiming  them,  and  perhaps 
arbitrary  in  enforcing  them.  1I<-  exerted  influence 
in  ecclesiastical  bodies,  though  much  hindered  in  at- 
tending them,  and  for  the  first  five  years  of  the  exist- 
ence of  the  Cortland    Presbytery,    1826   L880,  he  offi- 


498  PRESBYTERIAN  ISM  IN  THE 

ciated  as  stated  clerk.  He  spent  his  lateryears in  com- 
parative seclusion,  with  no  one  at  home  with  him,  pre- 
paring his  own  meals  and  performing  all  the  workwith- 
in-doors, — but  always  in  the  sanctuary,  when  opened,  if 
his  health  allowed  it.  The  habit  of  saving  grew  with 
him  into  miserliness,  and  he  accumulated,  from  a  small 
salary  and  income,  $20,000,  of  which  $18,000  were  be- 
queated  to  the  American  Home  Missionary  Society,  the 
American  Bible  Societ}^  the  American  Tract  Society, 
and  the  American  Board  of  Commissioners  for  Foreign 
Missions. 

Rev.  Daniel  A.  Clark.  D.  D.,  was  a  native  of  New 
Jersey,  and  an  alumnus  of  the  College  of  Xew  Jersey, 
at  Princeton,  in  the  class  of  1S08,  and  a  student  at 
Andover  Seminary  during  1810  and  1811.  Jan.  1, 1812, 
he  was  set  apart  to  the  ministry,  and  placed  over 
the  church  at  Weymouth  Landing,  Mass.,  where  he 
remained  two  years.  In  1816,  he  went  to  Southbury. 
Ct.,  and  left  in  1819.  From  1820  to  1824,  he  was  pas- 
tor of  the  first  Church,  Amherst,  Mass..  and  from  lb26 
to  1830  of  the  church  at  Bennington,  Vt  lie  was  a 
temporary  supply  at  Utica,  1881-1882.  and  at  Adams. 
1832-1833,  and  lived  without  charge  at  New  Haven, 
Ct,  from  1833  to  183$;  and  removing  to  New  York 
in  1838.  he  died  there,  March  .'!.  i840,  in  the  61st  year 
of  his  age.  He  was  noted  as  a  good  man  and  an  able 
sermonizer,  and  the  posthumous  volumes  of  his  dis- 
courses have  been  widely  circulated  and  very  highly 
appreciated. 

Rev.  Daniel  Clark  graduated  from  Dartmouth  Col- 
lege in  1840.  and  from  Auburn  Seminary  in  1842.    He 


8YN0D  OF  CESTRAL  SEW  YORK.  4'.,(.> 

preached  as  pastor,  or  stated  supply,  at  Galena.  111., 
Plainfield,  111.,  Lyons.  Iowa,  and  Galesburg,  111.,  and 
also  fulfilled  an  exceedingly  busy  and  prosperous  benevo- 
lent agency.  His  great  energy  and  zeal  and  his  popu- 
lar address  made  him  effective  in  sermons,  and  still 
more  in  addresses,  and  his  unsparing  and  untiring  ex- 
ertions, and  his  alertness  and  tact  and  ready  improve- 
ment of  incidents   and  circumstances,   made   him  - 

d  in  his  enterprises  and  operations.  Tall  and  well 
proportioned,  he  bore  himself  with  dignity,  and  was 
imposing  in  his  appearance,  and  at  the  same  time  his 
earnest  countenance,  yet  mobile  features,  and  his  firm 
tread  and  quick  movement-,  showed  how  supple  and 
vigorous  he  was.     Life        -  fast  with  him  for  a 

long  race,  and  at  an  age  when  most  men  have  an  ex- 
tended course  before  them,  he  fell  exhausted,  at  Plain- 
field,  where  oneof  his  circuits  had  been  previously  rum 

Rev.  Tebtii  -  S.  Clark,  born  m  Massachusetts,  1798 
graduated   from   Vale  College,   L823,  and   studied   at 
Auburn  Theological  Seminary  from  1824  to  \^^>'<.    Be 
served  the  church  at  Franklin,  Delaware  county,  and 
had  been   previously  a  prominent  pastor  in  New   Eng- 
land    II  id  impaired  health  while  in  this  r<  . 
allowed  only  a  partial  estimate  of  his  powers,  and 
in  comparative  infirmity,  he  retained  great  mental  \ 
and  showed  himself  a  workman  that  needed  not  to  be 
ashamed     Bis  form  was  in  keeping  with  his  under- 
standing, bul  its  massivenese  did  n<>t  hide  his  gracious- 
.  and    bis   affability,  combined   with   his  intellec- 
tuality, made  him  a  preacher  of  power  and  an  agi 
ble  pastor  and  companion.     Be  always  filled  his  place 


500  PRESBYTERIANISil  IN  THE 

in  ecclesiastical  bodies,  and  showed  interest  in  their 
proceedings  and  took  part  in  them,  but  a  stranger  to 
most  of  his  brethren  and  of  short  connection  with  our 
denominaton,  his  modesty  kept  him  from  activity  and 
leadership. 

Kev\  Isaac  Clixtox,  cousin  of  Gov.  DeWitt  Clin- 
ton, was  born  at  West  Milford,  near  Bridgeport,  Ct., 
January  21,  1759.  He  graduated  from  Yale  College 
in  1786,  with  distinguished  honor  both  in  the  classics 
and  mathematics.  He  studied  divinity  with  Rev.  Dr. 
Joseph  Bellamy,  of  Bethlem,  Ct,,  and  was  ordained 
and  installed  at  Southwick,  Mass.,  where  he  remained 
for  twenty  years.  In  1818  he  returned  to  Low vi lie, 
and  combined  the  care  of  the  church  and  of  the  academy 
there,  and  continued  in  them  for  ten  years.  He  pub- 
lished a  work  on  Infant  Baptism  before  leaving  South- 
wick. a  second  edition  of  which  appeared.  In  the 
eightieth  year  of  his  age  he  prepared  and  published  a 
work  on  a  kindred  subject,  or  perhaps  revised  his  ear- 
lier work,  and  it  was  highly  approved  and  widely  cir- 
culated. He  owned  and  cultivated  a  farm  of  two  hun- 
dred acres  at  Lowville,  and  was  especially  interested  in 
raising  fruit,  and  Lewis  county  is  indebted  to  him  for 
the  introduction  of  its  best  varieties  of  apples.  He  was 
a  gentleman  of  the  old  school,  and  to  the  last  dressed 
in  the  old  style,  wearing  a  low-crowned  and  broad- 
brimmed  beaver  hat,  black  broadcloth  coat  with  wide 
and  long  skirls,  velvet  breeches  and  silver  knee  buckles, 
high  lop  boots,  or  shoes  and  silk  stocking-.  He  was 
married  in  1787,  to  Charity  Wells,  of  New  Stratford, 
(now   Buntington,)  Ct..  and  had  six  children,  live  of 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  501 

whom  died  in  a  single  week,  at  Southwick,  from  an 
epidemic,  and  three  lay  dead  in  his  house  at  the  same 
time.  Two  sons,  subsequently  born,  died  at  Lowvillc, 
and  there  his  own  decease  was  accomplished,  March  18, 
1840,  in  the  82d  year  of  his  age. 

Kev.  Robert  "W.  Coxdit,  D.  1)..  was  bom  at  Still- 
water, N.  Y.,  Sept.  17,  1795,  and  graduated  from  the 
College  of  New  Jersey,  Princeton.  Licensed  in  1818, 
he  spent  a  year  in  horseback  travel  through  Virginia 
and  other  parts  of  the  South,  preaching  as  opportunity 
offered.  Returning  North,  he  was  settled  at  Montgom- 
ery, Orange  county,  X.  Y.,  from  Dec.  13,  1820  to  April, 
1830.  He  then  spent  a  year  principally  in  recuperating 
his  strength,  and  very  much  invigorated,  in  April,  1831, 
he  undertook  the  care  of  the  First  Presbyterian  Church, 
Oswego,  and  kept  it  for  nearly  forty  years,  and  until 
his  death,  February  11,  1871, — thus  very  nearly  ap- 
proaching the  longest  pastorate  on  this  field.  Bis 
excellence  was  his  power.  Of  6ne  presence  and  digni- 
fied manners  and  serious  mien,  ho  was  likely  to  be  no- 
ticed on  any  street  or  in  any  assembly  or  company,  and 
with  such  propriety  did  lie  always  deporl  himself,  as  to 
deepen  the  firsl  impressions  he  made  Courteous  and 
kind,  devoted  to  the  Saviour  and  his  cause,  si  ncereh 
anxious  for  the  welfare  of  his  people,  a  good  counsellor 
and  manager,  he  Btood  before  the  public  in  tin-  fronl 
ranks  <>f  the  ministry,  and  was  highly  esteemed  l\  his 
congregation.  Eschewing  display  and  sensationalism 
in  the  pulpit,  never  dazzling  by  genius,  or  strikh 
straining  by  intellect,  or  imposing  l>v  learning,  he  wtts 
so  devout  and  sedate,  and  deall   so  uniformly  in  tin- 


5  02  PRESB  YTERIA  NI8M  IN  THE 

marrow  of  the  gospel,  that  his  preaching  was  weighty 
and  profitable,  and  disarmed  criticism  and  opposition. 
He  conscientiously  discharged  his  duties  in  ecclesiastical 
bodies,  long  sat  in  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  Hamilton 
College  and  Auburn  Theological  Seminary,  and  was  a 
Corporate  Member  of  the  American  Board  of  Commis- 
sioners for  Foreign  Missions.  His  conservative  temper 
ament  disinclined  him  to  novelties  and  violence,  but 
positive  in  his  convictions  and  actions,  though  neve:; 
controversial  and  aggressive,  he  helped  to  form  a  bul- 
wark against  new  doctrines  in  theology  and  new  meas- 
ures in  religion  and  against  destructiveness  in  re- 
form. If  not  fitted  for  pulling  down  evil  and  d liv- 
ing on  in  a  course  for  good,  he  was  fitted  to  protect 
what  was  well  planned  and  built,  and  to  hold  ground 
already  gained.  His  death  makes  a  vacancy  in  the 
ministry  and  still  more  in  his  parish,  and  most  of 
all  in  his  household.  We  cannot  but  sigh  and  sorrow 
at  the  public  loss,  while  we  sympathize  in  the  domestic 
bereavement. 

Rev.  Eli  Field  Cooley,  D.  D.,  was  the  son  of  Ren- 
nah  and  Lucy  (Field)  Cooley,  and  born  at  Sunderland, 
Mass.,  Oct.  15,  1781.  He  was  carefully  brought  up  by 
his  parents,  who  removed  to  Hartford,  Ct,  and  gave 
him  the  advantages  of  the  academy  there.  In  1803  he 
entered  the  College  of  New  Jersey,  Princeton,  where  he 
graduated  in  1806.  He  took  his  theological  course 
under  President  Samuel  Stanhope  Smith,  and  was 
Licensed  by  the  Presbytery  of  New  Brunswick.  Called 
to  Cherry  Valley  in  1811,  he  was  ordained  and  installed 
in    February,  by  the   Presbytery  of  Oneida.     In  1819, 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  503 

he  removed  to  take  charge  of  the  church  at  Middletowrr 
Point,  X.  J.,  and  three  years  after  he  was  settled  over 
the  Ewing  Church,  X.  J.,  then  styled  the  Trenton  First 
Church.  He  preached  his  farewell  sermon  as  pastor 
here  July  19,  L857,  after  which  his  health  declined, 
while  his  faculties  were  unimpaired ;  but  his  death,  in 
the  80th  year  of  his  age,  Sunday,  April  22,  I860, 
which  proved  to  result  from  disease  of  the  heart,  was 
very  sudden  at  the  time.  He  was  thrice  married, — 
first  to  Miss  Scudder,from  near  Princeton,  then  to  Miss 
Henderson,  of  Monmouth,  and  last  to  Miss  Reading,  of 
the  Ewing  Parish.  His  character  was  upright  and  pure, 
his  common  sense  quite  unusual,  his  pulpit  and  pastoral 
work  old  style,  but  useful,  and  his  piety  undoubted. 
Rutgers  College  conferred  the  Doctorate  of  Divinity 
upon  him,  and  he  was  an  active  Trustee  of  both  the 
College  and  the  Seminary  at  Princeton,  and  a  pains- 
taking Manager  of  the  State  Lunatic  Asylum,  at  Tren- 
ton. 

Rev.  EDWARD  COPE  was  educated  at  Centre  Coll- 
in the  class. .t"  1833,  and  at  Auburn  Seminary  in  the 
class  of  1836,  and  finishing  his  Btudies,  he  embarked  as 
a  missionary  to  India.  The  giving  out  of  his  health 
compelled  bis  return  home,  and  recovering  enough  for 
the  ministry  bere,  he  faithfully  exercised  it  in  the 
western  and  southern  and  eastern  portions  of  the 
Synod,  and  closed  it.  with  his  life,  at  Gilberteville,  in 
L872. 

S.\M  l   EL  WoODWORTti  I  lOZZ]  NS,   I  >.    D.,  Was  a  native 

of    Massachusetts,  and  a   graduate    from    Middlebun 


504  PRESBYTER1ANISM  IN  THE 

College  in  1828,  and  from  Andover  Seminary  in  1831. 
Ordained  August  8,  1832,  he  was  pastor  in  Marble- 
head,  Mass.,  from  that  time  to  1837,  and  of  the  First 
Church,  Milton,  Mass.,  from  1837  to  18-19,  and  stated 
supply  of  the  Second  Church  in  that  place  from  18-49 
to  1851.  He  spent  1852  with  the  church  in  Kings- 
boro,  N.  Y.,  and  served  the  church  in  Mount  Vernon 
from  1853  to  1859.  His  tastes  and  habits  were  formed 
in  New  England,  and  returning  there,  he  was  stated 
supply  at  Weybridge,  Vt,  from  1859  to  1868,  and  of 
South  Plymouth,  Mass.,  from  1868  to  his  death.  He 
was  universally  esteemed  for  his  integrity,  amiableness, 
good  judgment  and  intelligence.  An  acceptable  and 
profitable  preacher,  he  was  an  agreeable  and  useful 
pastor,  and  an  association  with  him  was  a  privilege  and 
pleasure  to  his  fellow  ministers.  A  good  savor  of  him 
remains  in  Vernon  Centre,  and  in  the  Presbytery  and 
Synod  of  CJtica  to  which  he  belonged. 

Rev.  RALPH  CuSHMAN,  a  native  of  Massachusetts 
and  an  alumnus  of  Williams  College,  was  a  classmate, 
at  Andover,  of  the  missionary,  Isaac  Bird,  Dr.  Willard 
Child,  Dr.  Asa  Gummings,  the  missionary  Dr.  William 
Good  ell,  Rev.  Peter  Lockwood,  and  the  missionary 
David  Temple,  graduating  with  them  in  1820.  Or- 
dained November  16,  1821,  he  traveled  as  a  home  mis- 
sionary in  Kentucky  from  that  time  to  1824,  and  then 
settled  at  Pittsford,  N.  Y.  ;  and  removing  from  there 
in  1826,  he  spenl  four  years,  and  until  1830,  in  Manlius, 
when  he  acted  for  a  year  as  an  agent  in  this  State  for 
the  American  Borne  Missionary  Society;  and  remov- 
ing to  Ohio  in  1880,  he  died  at  Wooster,  August  27, 
1831 .  only  39  years  old. 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  hEW  YOIiK. 

Rev.  Nathan  Darrow  is  not  known  to  have  been 
connected  with  our  ecclesiastical  body,  but  he  is  men- 
tioned as  a  ••candidate  preacher1'  at  Homer.  November, 
L802,  and  January  2,  L803,  he  was  ordained  and  set- 
tled there  by  a  council  consisting  principally  of  our 
ministers  and  of  representatives  of  our  churches.  So 
important  was  this  event  considered  at  the  time,  "  that 
to  gladden  the  hearts  of  Christian  brethren  by  a  view 
of  the  religious  prosperity  in  this  part  of  the  country, 
liev.  David  Higgins  was  appointed  to  make  out  and 
forward  to  the  Connecticut  Evangelical  Magazine  a 
-Miit  of  the  installations  here  and  at  Au- 
relius  and  Pompey.  The  church  consisted  of  about 
twenty  members  at  Mr.  Darrow's  coming,  and  ni 
three  were  added  to  it  during  his  stay,  more  than  half 
of  them  convert-  in  a  revival,  1806.     I!  iribed 

a  man  of  medium  size,  with  brown  hair,  bright 
hazel  eye,  endowed  with  goo.]  natural  talent,  but  with- 
out extensive  cultur<  ere  in  his  manners, 
but  full  of  energy  and  decision,  and  faithful  in  the  dis- 
charge of  his  duties."  II  •  went  to  Cleveland,  on  leav- 
ing Bomer,  1 808,  and  afterwards  to  Vienna,  Ohio,  \\  here 
he  resided  until  his  death  many  \  i 

The  ancestors  of    Rev.  Henry   Davis,  D.  I1.. 
parishioners  of  Richard  Baxter  at  Kidderminster, 
land,  and   also,  it   is  Bupposod,  communicants   in   lus 
church.     Two  of  the  number  emigrated  to  this  country, 
a  married  and  an  unmarried  brother,  sto]  brief 

I    periods  at    Lynn,  and   then  Haven,  Ct,  hut 

finallv  settling  in  Bast   rlam]  toi     I.   I.     The  fat! 
Dr.  Davis  was  twice  married,  and  had  e\e\ 


506  PRESBYTERIANISM  IN  THE 

all  of  \vliom  lived  beyond  three  score  and  ten.  Dr. 
Davis  was  born  in  East  Hampton,  September  15, 1771. 
He  was  taken,  in  infancy,  with  his  father's  family,  to 
Stonington,  Ct,  and  carried  back  to  East  Hampton  in 
1784.  It  was  proposed  to  him  to  prepare  for  Princeton 
College  in  the  academy  at  his  home,  but  this  he  de- 
clined, intending  to  study  for  medicine,  which,  it  was 
thought,  did  not  demand  a  collegiate  course.  He 
attended  the  academy,  occasionally  leaving  to  teach 
school  for  a  few  months  at  a  time,  and  at  last  spent 
nearly  two  }-ears  in  this  occupation  at  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 
October,  1793,  he  joined  the  Sophomores  at  Yale. — the 
first  class  taught  by  Prest.  D wight,  and  with  Jeremiah 
Day,  Dr.  Dwight's  successor,  as  his  classmate,  and  sub- 
sequently, his  fellow-tutor,  both  at  their  Alma  Mater 
and  at  Williamstown.  "As  an  undergraduate,"  Presi- 
dent Day  states,  "he  was  among  the  most  distinguished 
for  scholarship  and  elevated  character.''  Immediately 
after  taking  his  first  degree,  1796,  he  accepted  a  tutor- 
ship in  Williams  College,  and  held  it  until  January, 
1798,  when  he  went  to  Somers,  Ct,  to  study  theology 
with  Bev.  Dr.  Charles  Backus,  who  preceded  him  in 
the  Presidency  of  Hamilton  College.  The  following 
July  he  began  a  tutorship  in  Yale,  and  continued  in  it 
until  1803.  In  1801  he  was  elected  Professor  of  Di- 
vinity, with  permission,  if  he  desired  it,  to  remain  tutor 
until  he  felt  himself  qualified  for  the  post.  His  health, 
however,  failed,  so  that  he  could  not  preach,  and  he  was 
obliged  to  decline  the  offered  Professorship.  He  made 
several  journeys  to  recruit  himself,  and  spent  one  season 
on  the  coast  of  Labrador.  In  September,  1806,  he  ac- 
cepted  the  Professorship  of  Greek  in  Union  College. 


SYNOD  OF  C  EX  TEAL  NEW  YORK. 

and  in  December,  1809.  lie  entered  on  the  Presidency 
of  Middlebury  College,  and  was  ordained  a  minister. 
In  1814  lie  was  recalled  to  the  Professorship  he  had 
held  in  Union,  but  declined  to  take  it.  In  January. 
1817.  he  was  chosen  President  of  Hamilton  College,  to 
succeed  his  theological  instructor,  Dr.  Backus,  and  a 
month  after,  and  before  he  had  concluded  on  an  answer, 
he  was  also  chosen  President  of  Yale  College,  to  succeed 
Dr.  Dwight  lie  felt  obliged  to  refuse  both  elections. 
the  situation  of  Middlebury  at  the  time  having  claims 
which  he  did  not  feel  at  liberty  to  neglect.  The  neigh- 
borhood of  this  college  to  the  University  of  Vermont 
seemed  to  necessitate  the  dwarfing  of  both,  and  Dr.  Davis 
anxiously  sought  their  union.  There  proved  to  be  no 
apparent  possibility  of  this  just  then,  and  Hamilton 
College  was  given  to  understand  that  a  renewal  of  its 
call  would  meet  with  an  affirmative  response.  By  tin- 
time  it  was  again  made  out,  however,  the  relations  of 
Middlebury  and  the  University  at  Burlington  had  be- 
come so  favorable  to  Dr.  Davis' project  for  them,  that 
he  would  have  been  glad  to  remain  to  carry  it  out, 
Indeed,  he  sought  a  release  from  Hamilton  Colli 
but  this  was  so  withstood  that  he  felt  bound  in  honor 
connect  himself  with  it..  Here  he  remained  from 
L817  to  L833,  largely  increasing  the  number  of  stud< 
for  most  of  the  time,  and  advancing  the  college  g<'n«'- 
rallv.  Aii  unhappy  controversy  Bprung  up  bet.' 
him  and  the  Trustees,  and  some  disastrous  occurrences 
took  place,  and  the  college  was  threatened  with  the  d<  - 
sertion  of  all  its  students.  Dr.  Davis  clung  to  his 
place,  and  gradually  filling  up  the  classes  and  imp; 
inc  the  condition  of  the  college,  he  surrendered   the 


O08  PRE8B  VTE  HI  A  NISM  IN  TUB 

Presidency  to  a  successor  under  pleasing  auguries  for 
the  future.  He  never  remitted  his  interest  in  the  col- 
lege, lie  acted  until  lb47  as  Chairman  of  the  Board  of 
Trustees,  and  he  resided  at  Clinton,  the  seat  of  the  college, 
until  his  death,  March  8, 1852.  President  Day,  his  class- 
mate at  Yale  and  his  fellow-tutor  at  both  Yale  and  Wil- 
liams, says,  "His  powers,  his  inclinations  and  his  habits 
were  eminently  of  a  practical  character,  especially  adapted 
to  the  instruction  and  government  of  youth,  and  to  this 
he  devoted  his  time  and  strength  in  live  different  col- 
leges. His  unvarying  firmness  of  moral  and  religious 
principle  led  him  to  employ  his  talents  and  attainments 
exclusively  in  the  discharge  of  his  duty.  His  literary 
and  scientific  investigations  were  conducted,  not  with  a 
view  to  display,  or  to  obtain  credit  for  originality,  but 
to  qualify  him  for  the  instruction  which  he  was  provi- 
dential lv  called  to  impart.  His  natural  temperament, 
though  ardent,  was  well  balanced  by  strength  of  intel- 
lect and  sound  judgment.  He  had  a  rare  energy  and 
firmness  of  purpose,  a  native  intrepidity,  which  fitted 
him  to  maintain  a  steady  collegiate  government,  and  to 
encounter  difficulties  and  obstacles,  an  ample  share  of 
which  was  allotted  to  him.  He  evidently  aimed  to  be 
faithful  in  the  trust  committed  to  him.  His  application 
to  business  and  study  was  so  intense  that  his  constitu- 
tion, originally  vigorous,  early  received  a  shock  from 
which  it  never  recovered.  His  slender  and  debilitated 
frame  ever  after  impeded  the  execution  of  his  ardent 
and  widely-reaching  purposes.  Bis  preaching  and  lit- 
erary and  religious  character  were  in  such  estimation, 
thai  in  early  life  lie  was  elected  to  the  Professorship  of 
Divinity   in   Vale  College.     Eis  disposition  was  open, 


SYNOD  OF  VENTRAL  NEW  YORK. 

frank  and  affectionate;  his  manners  simple  and  grave, 
dignified  and  kind  :  his  friendship  ardent  and  lasting." 
Judge  Samuel  Nelson,  of  the  U.  S.  Supreme  Court, 
and  a  student  under  him  at  Middlebury,  said:  iLIn 
son  Dr.  Davis  was  tall,  over  six  feet,  slender,  erect, 
and  of  noble  and  manly  appearance:  a  face  strongly 
marked,  indicating  the  true  character  of  his  mind, 
strength  and  vigor,  but  polished  and  graceful  from  va- 
ried and  extensive  acquirements,  and  association  with 
men  of  his  class  and  position  in  society.  He  v 
gentleman  of  the  old  school  in  the  truest  sense  of  that 
term,  without  the  characteristic  costume  His  disp  si- 
tion  was  cheerful,  even  playful,  kind  and  generous, 
deeply  sympathising  with  all  his  friends  and  acquaint- 
ances, and  especially  with  all  in  any  way  under  his 
care  or  subject  to  ids  advice  or  direction,  lie  had  a 
warm  heart,  directed  by  a  strong  sense  of  right,  and 
what  was  due  to  virtue  and  religion  and  the  decencies 
and  proprieties  of  life,  a  true  and  reliable  judgment, 
and  hence  firm  and  steady  in  his  principles  and  con- 
it  in  his  conduct  The  impression  he  made  on  the 
students  was  that  he  possessed  high  qualities  and  en- 
dowments for  the  head  of  a  college.     Ee  was  uot  dis- 

i  t<>  take  severe  notice  of  trifling  irregularity 
the  thoughtlessness  of  youth,  hut  was  generous  and 
forbearing,  and  if  noticed  at  all.  it  was  with  the  affec- 
tion and  admonition  of  a  friend.  But  iii  a  caseof  trans- 
ion  indicating  a  perverse  mind,  or  had  heart,  he 
was  -tern  and  inflexible.'1  "  In  his  intercourse  with  the 
Btudents  he  invariably  treated  them  as  gentlemen,  in- 
spiring and  ele\  ating  their  self-respect,  seeking  through 
that  el-  menl  of  character  and  the  wholesome  influ 


510  PRESB  Y  TERIANISM  IN  T11E 

consequent  thereon,  to  regulate  their  conduct  It  is 
hi i necessary  to  add  that  he  was  universally  beloved.'' 
Unfortunately  for  Dr.  Davis,  he  never  held  a  pastoral 
charge,  and  had  no  experience  of  the  influence  of  its 
responsibilities  and  associations  in  modifying  theoretical 
judgments.  His  views  of  what  was  transpiring  in  the 
churches  were  wholly  speculative,  gotten  from  what  he 
looked  upon  as  a  spectator,  and  with  something  of  the 
e}'e  of  a  critic.  And  hence  was  his  mistake  at  a  mo- 
mentous period  in  the  history  of  Presbyterianism  in 
Central  New  York.  He  misjudged  some  of  the  most 
genuine  and  powerful  of  its  revivals  because  he  took 
no  part  in  them. 

Kev.  Eichard  Davis  graduated  from  Union  Col- 
lege in  1828,  and  from  Auburn  Seminary  in  1830T 
and  in  1835  took  charge  of  the  church  in  Springfield. 
He  remained  here  for  five  years  and  was  much  pros- 
pered in  his  ministry, — fifty-five  having  been  added  to 
the  church  and  forty  of  them  on  examination.  lie  af- 
terwards preached  at  Bridgewater,  Oneida  county,  where 
he  died  of  consumption,  June  13,  1842,  at  the  early 
age  of  forty-one.  His  heart  turned  in  the  hour  of  his 
dissolution  to  the  church  he  first  loved  and  called  his- 
own,  and  lie  begged  to  be  carried  for  burial  to  its  grave 
yard,  lb1  was  of  strong  and  original  mind,  independ- 
ent in  the  formation  of  his  opinions  and  free  in  the 
expression  of  them.  Passages  in  his  sermons  were 
often  peculiar,  and  even  odd,  and  he  sometimes  gave 
offence  by  his  frankness  and  abruptness.  Put  he  w;  s 
natural  in  this,  and  of  unquestioned  piety,  and  his 
preaching  was  impressive  and  effective. 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  511 

Rev.  George  E.  Delavax.  son  of  David  and  Mercy 
Delavan,  was  born  at  Dover.  N.  Y..  April  16,  1K)4. — 
graduated  from  Yale  College  in  1827, — prepared  for  the 
ministry  at  Andover  and  Auburn  Seminaries, — licensed 
in  1831,  by  the  Presbytery  of  New  York,  and  ordained 
by  the  New  Haven  'West  Association.  lie  exercised  his 
ministry  at  Fayetteville,  N.Y.,  Wilson,  N.Y.,  Maquoketa, 
Iowa,  and  Wyoming,  Iowa,  and  died,  a  victim  of  consump- 
tion, March  18,  1S61.  He  is  described  by  a  co-Presby- 
ter as  "  a  good  man.  of  more  than  average  abilities  and 
attainments,  and  much  devoted  to  his  work  and  the 
church." 

Rev.  Sheldon  Dibble  was  born  at  Skaneateles  in 
1  8< »'».  and  graduated  from  Hamilton  College  in  1 827,  and 
completed  the  course  of  theological  study  at  Auburn. 
in  1830,  and  was  licensed  by  the  Presbytery  of  Caj  _ 
and  ordained  in  connection  with  his  fellow  missionary 
to  the  Sandwich  Islands,  Dwight  Baldwin,  by  the 
Oneida  Presbytery,  in  special  session  at  Utica,  October 
G,  1830,  Rev.  Noah  <  Joe  presiding,  Rev.  Dr.  Dirck  C.  Lan- 
sing preaching  the  sermon,  Rev.  Mr.  Garrison  delivering 
the  charge,  and  the  Moderator  and  Rev.  Mr.  Nash 
ducting  the    devotional  The   Presbytery 

made  much  of  the  occasion,  and   "resolved,  that  we 
feel   oun  died  upon  to  express  our  gratitude  to 

the  great  Bead  of  the  church  for  the  distinguished  fa- 
vor of  setting  aparl  to  the  ministry  men  destined  for  the 
Foreign  Mission  Work,  by  contributing  of  our  sub- 
stance to  this. prospered  mission;  thai  notice  beg 
to  the  congregations  of  the  Presbyter)  of  the  contem- 
plated ordination,  and  au  invitation  to  attend  it:  and 


5 1 2  PRESB  YTER1A  N1SM  IN  THE 

that  they  be  directed  to  take  up  collections  for  the  mis- 
sion the  next  Lord's  day."  Mr.  Dibble  was  stationed 
at  Hilo  from  1830  to  1836,  and  then  transferred  to  the 
Seminary  at  Lahainalula,  where  he  remained  until  his 
death,  January  22,  1845,  at  the  early  age  of  36.  He 
distinguished  himself  both  in  preaching  and  teaching, 
and  greatly  endeared  himself  to  the  natives  and  to  his 
associates,  and  his  death  was  a  sore  bereavement  to 
the  mission  and  to  the  missionary  cause,  and  greatly 
lamented. 

Kev.   John  DlELL,  born  at  Cherry  Valley,  August 

24,  1808,  graduated  from  Hamilton  College,  1826,  en- 
gaged  in  theological  study  at  Princeton,  1830  and  1831, 
and  at  Anclover,  1332,  and  was  ordained  September  19, 
1832.  He  acted  as  agent  of  the  American  Seaman's  Friend 
Society  in  the  intervals  of  his  seminary  course,  1831 
and  1632,  and  sailed  as  chaplain  at  Honolulu,  1S32, 
taking  a  portable  chapel  with  him.  and  remained  there 
about  ten  years,  visiting  this  country  once  during  that 
period,  and  dying  at  sea  of  consumption,  only  32  years 
old,  January  18,  18-11.  He  wished  to  lie  in  the  soil  of 
his  native  land,  where  dear  kindred  and  friends  were 
buried,  but  consecrated  to  the  sea  for  his  life's 
work,  a  more  lifting  place  was  appointed  for  him 
in  the  bosom  of  the  Pacific.  He  was  a  bright,  beauti- 
ful and  buoyant  boy.  and  in  youth  and  manhood  lost 
none  of  his  vivacity,  geniality  and  attractiveness  of 
appearance  and  manner.  Never  vicious  or  criminal,  he 
was  very  playful,  and  heedlessly  joined  with  a  party  of 
his  fellow  students  in  mounting  a  cannon  to  an  upper 
hall    of  the   college    and    discharging   it    loaded    to  the 


8YN0D  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  513 

muzzle.     Jt  burst  and  flew  in  fragments  through  the 

ceilings  and  partitions,  and  just  escaped  killing  an  ob- 
noxious professor.  The  fright  at  his  deed  shocked  him 
into  thoughtfulness,  and  finally  brought  him  to  peni- 
tence and  faith.  His  Christian  life  was  its  stirring  as 
his  natural  life  had  been,  and  he  lost  none  of  the 
charms  of  his  earlier  appearance  and  spirit  and  bear- 
All  who  saw  him  were  drawn  to  him,  and  his 
public  addresses  and  discourses  were  the  sweete.-t  of 
music  to  his  hearers.  It  seemed  an  offence  against  the 
fitness  of  things  to  send  such  a  man  to  the  Sandwich 
Islands,  and  to  give  him  up  to  the  service  of  sailors, 
but  he  best  chose  the  lot  for  himself  and  followed  the 
divine  designation.  lb.'  was  the  idol  of  his  congi 
tions  and  their  benediction,  and  ;is  we  look  on  his 
hold  of  the  reckless  men  to  whom  he  applied  himself, 
and  the  influence  he  exerted  upon  them,  we  not  onlv 
endorse  the  commission  he  fulfilled,  but  thank  God  for 
enabling  him  to  recognize  it. 

Rev.  Babrison  Gbay  Otis  Dwight,  1).  D.,  son  of 
Seth  and  Bannah  Strong  Dwight.  was  born  in  Conway, 
Mass  and  brought  up  from  early  child- 

hood  in  Bere   be  passed   bis  school  and  aca- 

demic course,  and  received  his  religious  education,  and 
began  his  religious  experience  and  life,  and  united  with 
the  Firsi  Church.  Be  entered  the 
Hamiltoi  C  a,  and  graduated,  among  others,  with 
Judgi  G  \  William  Clinton,  of  Buffalo,  WiHiam  K 
Sill.  Esq.  of  Geneva,  Bon.  Darius  Peck,  of  Hudson, 
President  Augustas  William  Smith,  of  the  Wesleyan 
University  and  of  the  United  States  Naval   Aeademv. 


514  PRESB  YTERIANISM  IN  THE 

Annapolis.  Says  Rev.  Dr.  Joel  Parker :  "I  remember 
him  from  the  time  when  he  came  here,  a  boy  from  the 
village  (then)  of  Utica,  and  entered  college  with  the 
intention  of  preparing  himself  for  the  sacred  office, 
lie  bore  with  him  an  air  of  manly  Christian  dignity 
that  was  altogether  extraordinary.  Without  any  ap- 
pearance of  sanctimoniousness,  one  could  not  but  see 
that  he  wras  conscious  of  being  wholly  devoted  to  his 
Heavenly  Master.  More  than  respectable  as  a  scholar, 
he  was  chiefly  conspicuous  as  a  Christian."  From 
Clinton  he  passed  to  Andover,  and  graduated  with  the 
class  of  1828,  among  the  members  of  which  were  Har- 
rison Allen,  a  missionary  to  the  Choctaws,  Dr.  Addi- 
son Kingsbury,  of  Putnam,  Ohio,  Dr.  John  Spaulding, 
Secretary  of  the  American  Seamen's  Friend  Society. 
Prof.  Calvin  Ellis  Stowe,  Jeremiah  Porter  and  Dr.  Hub- 
bard Winslow.  He  acted  for  a  time  as  agent  of  the 
American  Board,  and  ordained  at  Great  Barrington, 
Mass..  July  15,  1S29,  he  was  commissioned  as  a  mis 
sionary,  and  January,  1830,  sailed  for  Malta,  During 
this  year  he  set  out  in  company  with  Rev.  Dr.  Eli 
Smith,  on  an  exploring  tour  through  Asia  Minor,  Per- 
sia, Armenia  and  Georgia,  and  was  employed  in  it  for 
fifteen  months.  In  Juty,  1831,  he  began  his  work  for 
the  Armenians,  with  Constantinople  as  his  headquar- 
ters. His  association  here  with  Dr.  Goodell  was  very 
intimate  and  affectionate,  though  they  were  very  differ- 
ently constituted, — he  being  the  most  deliberate  as  well 
as  the  "most  enterprising  and  vigorous  of  men,  and  his 
Eriend  and  associate  being  as  mercurial  and  enthusias- 
tic. They  complemented  each  other,  and  formed  a 
perfecl  combination   for  the  part  they  took.     He  was 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YOItK.  515 

made  for  a  Christian  statesman,  and  as  minister  at  home, 
or  ambassador,  would  Lave  been  known  world-wide. 
There  was  no  artfulness  in  him,  and  he  practiced  no 
artifice,  but  lie  was  so  penetrating  and  far-seeing,  so 
practical,  so  skillful  in  the  administration  of  affairs,  that 
without  aiming  at  it,  or  wishing  it,  he  came  to  give 
"sentence,"  James-like,  in  delicate  and  difficult  ques- 
tions concerning  the  missionary  work,  and  to  manage 
its  cause  with  the  community  and  with  the  Govern- 
ment, and  with  Foreign  Powers  when  complicated  with 
them.  He  was  the  first  Frank  that  gained  a  residence 
within  Stamboul  (the  old  city),  and  as  well  established 
there  as  a  Turk,  he  prosecuted  the  ordinary  work  <  if  a 
missionary,  and  his  special  work  as  the  counsellor  and 
manager  for  his  brethren  of  every  name,  and  for  socie- 
ties of  every  denomination,  and  as  the  correspondent 
not  only  of  his  own  Board,  but  of  other  Boards,  and  of 
the  friends  of  missions  throughout  the  world.  Be 
found  time,  besides,  for  authorship,  composing  tracts 
and  volumes  for  the  people  to  whom  he  was  sent,  and 
translating  portions  of  the  Scriptures  for  them,  and 
publishing  in  this  country  and  in  Great  Britain.  "The 
Researches  of  Smith  and  Dwighl  in  Armenia,"  "Me- 
moirs of  Mrs.  Elizabeth  B.  Dwight,"  "  Christianity  Re- 
vived in  the  Bast,"  and  a  ••  Complete  Catalogue  of  Lit- 
erature in  Armenia."  A  mass  of  manuscripts,  besides 
Bermons,  was  also  found  among  hie  papers.  Il«'  cr< 
the  Atlantic  six  times. and  tra\ eled  extensi\ ely  through 
the  United  States,  Europe  and  Western  Asia,  prose- 
cuting the  work  laid  upon  him,  In  L859  60,  after  a 
thirty  years  residence  in  Constantinople,  he  repeated 
the  tour  he  made  with  Dr,  Eli  Smith,  and  extended  it 


51G  PRESBYTERIAN  ISM  IX  THE 

through  Palestine  and  Syria,  but  without  any  compan- 
ion and  in  the  60th  year  of  his  age,  riding  on  horse- 
back thousands  of  miles,  and  through  the  wildest  of 
regions.  He  then  revisited  his  native  land,  to  commu- 
nicate to  the  churches  intelligence  of  the  vast  held  un- 
der his  observation  and  within  his  sphere,  and  to  stir 
them  up  to  new  diligence  in  its  cultivation.  He  also 
needed  the  free  sympathy  of  kindred  and  friends  as 
healing  balm  for  heart-strings  torn  again  by  bereave- 
ment, and  to  visit  two  sons  at  the  front  battling  for  the 
Union.  I  had  become  acquainted  with  him  at  Wash- 
ington, where  he  was  attending  to  business  with  the 
Government,  and  making  a  visit  to  a  lady  friend  of 
mine,  who  became  the  second  Mrs.  D  wight.  His  hear- 
tiness quickly  bred  friendship,  and  it  was  the  greatest 
of  pleasures  to  me  to  welcome  him  to  his  old  home  in 
Utica,  and  to  mingle  with  him  in  the  circle  of  his  kin- 
dred, all  of  whom  were  my  personal  friends,  and  most 
of  whom  were  my  parishioners.  Never  was  he  more 
hale  and  buoyant.  His  appearance  showed  the  fresh- 
ness of  youth,  and  the  spirit  of  boyhood  seemed  to  re- 
turn to  him  in  the  scenes  of  his  boyhood.  He  made 
arrangements  to  address  a  missionary  convention  soon 
to  be  held  in  Koine,  and  to  take  part  in  the  then  ap- 
proaching semi-centennial  of  his  alma  mater  at  Clinton; 
and  addressed  to  the  Stated  Clerk  an  application  to  the 
ihvsbytery  of  Utica  to  be  received  to  its  membership 
at  its  annual  meeting  Dear  at  hand,  in  Holland  Patent. 
Setting  out  for  some  anniversaries  in  Canada,  a  sudden 
gust  of  wind  struck  the  railway  train  between  Troy 
and  Bennington,  Vt..  and  blew  the  car  in  which  he  was 
seated   down  a  Steep   bank.  30   feet   high,  and  instantly 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  517 

killed  him.  No  braise  could  be  discovered  on  him, 
and  no  feature  was  distorted  Violent  as  was  his  death, 
he  looked  as  if  put  quietly  asleep;  and  so  perfectly 
was  the  expression  of  his  countenance  preserved  that, 
as  he  lay  unrecognized  at  first,  the  official  who  discov- 
ered him  remarked  :  "  Whoever  it  may  be,  he  must 
have  been  one  of  the  best  men  that  ever  lived. "  Bui 
one  other  life  was  sacrificed  by  the  catastrophe — that 
of  another  servant  of  the  Lord,  who  was  called  by  the 
same  rude  message  to  the  presence  of  the  Lord.  His 
body,  all  it  ever  was,  and  unaltered  save  in  the  extinc- 
tion of  its  vital  element,  w as  brought  to  Ltiea  for  in- 
terment, and  it  was  n  y  melancholy  satisfaction  to  offi- 
ciate on  the  sorrowful  occasion. 

Dr.  Dwight  was  Qrst  married  at  Andover,  Mass., 
January  27,  1806,  to  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  Joshua  and 
Ruth  Barker.  She  died  of  the  plague  at  St.  Stefano, 
January  27,  1806,  attended  for  ten  days  by  her  hus- 
band and  an  old  man  alone.  Buried  on  a  hillside,  the 
little  wall  surrounding  her  grave  was  visible  for  years 
Erom  the  ships  .-ailing  by.  She  was  the  mother  of  four 
.  two  of   whom  died    in  childhood  and  one  of  them 

from  the  plague,and  another  was  the  lamented  Rev.  James 
EarrisoE  Dwight  Rev.  James  Buck  Dwight,  the  only 
survivor,  and  married  to  Eliza  Bowe,  daughter  of  the 
distinguished  missionary  Dr.  Schreider,  is  a  prominent 
and  successful  teacher,  now  engaged  in  the  Connecticut 
State  Normal  Scho<  -1. 

Mary,  daughter  of  Rev.   Otia  and   Elizabeth   Paine 
Lane,  of  Sturbrid  3.,  was  the  second  wife  of  Dr, 

Dwight  Tii'-\  were  married  April  in,  L 839,  and  she 
died  at  Constantinople,  of  cancel-  in  the  Btomach,  Nov, 


518  PRESB  YTER I  A  N1SM  IN  THE 

16,  1860.  She  was  the  mother  of  five  children,  three 
daughters  and  two  sons.  Two  of  the  daughters  died  at 
an  early  age,  and  Sarah  Hinsdale  Dwight  married  Rev. 
Edward  Riggs,  son  of  the  well  known  missionary  and 
scholar,  Rev.  Dr.  Elias  Riggs.  The  only  son,  Henry 
Otis  Dwight,  was  pursuing  his  education  at  the  Ohio 
Wesley  an  University  when  the  war  for  the  Union 
broke  out,  and  he  entered  the  army  as  a  private,  par- 
ticipating in  the  battles  under  Gens.  Grant  and  Sher- 
man at  Fort  Donaldson,  Shiloh,  Corinth,  Raymond. 
Vicksburgh,  Meridian,  Atlanta,  &c.  At  the  expiration 
of  the  period  of  his  enlistment,  he  renewed  it  and 
joined  in  Sherman's  march.  lie  was  promoted  to  suc- 
cessive ranks  and  was  offered  a  captaincy,  but  preferred 
staff  duty,  to  which  he  was  appointed  under  Major 
General  Ford.  He  served  throughout  the  war,  and 
then  marrying  Mary  A.,  daughter  of  Rev.  Dr.  Edwin 
Elisha  Bliss,  of  the  Western  Turkey  Mission,  he  settled 
at  Constantinople  "as  Financial  Agent  of  the  Turkish 
Mission. 

Rev.  Henry  Dwight,  born  a  Springfield,  Mass., 
June  25,  1783,  was  the  youngest  of  eight  children,  five- 
sons  and  three  daughters,  of  Jonathan  and  Margaret 
(Ashley)  Dwight,  His  father,  a  native  of  Boston,  Juno 
16,  1743,  was  sent,  when  only  ten  years  old,  to  an  uncle 
in  Springfield,  who  brought  him  up  affectionately  in 
his  family  and  in  his  store,  and  he  became  a  merchant 
himself,  of  extensive  business  and  large  wealth.  Eis 
s<-n  describes  him  as  "active  and  industrious,  prudent 
and  economical,  judicious  and  persevering."  The  Rev- 
olutionary war  proved  disastrous  to  his  interests  and 


8TN0D  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  519 

for  a  time  destroyed  his  solvency.  Embarkingin  trade 
again,  lie  greatly  prospered,  and  accumulated  a  large 
property,  commanding  universal  respect  by  his  probity 
and  honorableness,  and  winning  universal  esteem  by 
his  kindness  and  liberality  and  habitual  politeness. 
He  harbored  no  miserly  sentiment.  When  released 
from  business,  be  distributed  a  large  portion  of  his 
property  among  his  children,  taking  obligations  from 
them  for  it,  thus  giving  them  the  use  of  it  while  he 
held  the  control  of  it.  He  built,  at  his  own  expense, 
the  church  edifice  of  the  second  congregation,  Spring- 
field, and  presented  it  to  the  people,  making  it  of  the 
dimensions  and  style  they  directed,  and  exacting  the 
single  condition  that  they  should  raise  an  ample  fund 
for  the  Bupport  of  the  minister.  His  spacious  mansion 
of  simple  architecture,  but  with  all  the  look  of  comfort 
and  wealth,  stood  in  the  centre  of  the  town,  surrounded  I 
by  stately  elms;  and  there  he  lived  for  more  than  sixty 
years,  and  there  he  died  in  the  88th  year  of  his  age, 
the  head  of  what  has  been  termed  "the  great  family  of 
Springfield,  seventy  years  ago."  Graduating  at  Yale 
I  lollege  in  L801,  Mr.  Henry  Dwighl  was  admitted  to  a 
mercantile  firm  in  bis  Dative  place,  of  winch  his  oldest 
brother  was  the  head,  and  spent  a  year  on  its  business 
in  England.  Returning  home,  he  relinquished  a  trade 
which  promised  him  almosl  any  amount  of  profit,  and 
-<•]  "Mi  for  the  ministry,  with  its  meagre  compensation. 
Beginning  theological  study  with  President  Dwight,  at 
New  Haven,  Ct,  and  completing  it  at  Princeton,  N.J. 

•Mr.  Dwight's  Dame  does  Dot  Appear  on  the  catalogue  of  the 
Princeton  Beminaiy.    The  Brat  class  th<  formed  in  lsl?. 

with   Dr.  Alexander  ns  sole  Professor.  t<>  wIhmu   Dr.  Millei 


520  PRESBYTERIAMSM  IN  THE 

f  He  visited  the  chureli  at  Utiea,  riding  there  on  horse- 
back, either  for  the  enjoyment  of  it,  or  for  health-sake, 
or  because  no  public  conveyance  coursed  the  direct  line 
he.  wished  to  take.  Here  he  was  ordained  and  installed 
Feb.  3,  1813,  in  about  the  30th  }-ear  of  his  age,  having 
been  previously  licensed  by  the  Presbytery  of  New 
Brunswick.  Up  to  this  time  the  people  of  tltica  and 
Whitcsboro  had  constituted  one  church,  organized  in 
1794.  Now  they  wrere  divided,  and  at  the  same  time 
that  Mr.  D  wight  was  settled  in  Utica,  Rev.  John  Frost 
was  settled  in  Whitesboro.  The  people  of  Utica  were 
able  to  pay  a  higher  salary  than  the  people  in  "Whites- 
boro, but  the  young  Utica  pastor  insisted  on  equal ly 
dividing  the  difference  with  the  young  Whitesboro  pas- 
tor, and  the  two  regularly  exchanged  pulpits  every  Sun- 
day until  October  1,  1817,  when  the  utter  failure  of 
his  voice  silenced  Mr.  D  wight's  preaching  and  termi- 
nated his  pulpit  work.  This  experiment  of  four  years 
and  a  half  demonstrated  his  inimitable  qualifications 
for  pastoral  responsibilities  and  opportunities.  It  was 
throughout  a    labor  of    love      With  abundant  means 

added  in  1813.  President  Samuel  Stanhope  Smith,  of  the  College, 
who  died  in  1812,  had  been  largely  resorted  to  by  divinity  stu- 
dents, and  possibly  Mr.  D  wight  spent  a  short  time  with  him  im- 
mediately before  his  death,  or  with  his  successor,  Dr.  Aehbel 
dreen,  or  as  an  attendant  on  Dr.  Alexander's  lectures  and  recita- 
tions, without  being  matriculated  at  the  Seminary. 

f  Mr.  Dwight,  in  his  farewell  sermon  at  Utica,  intimates  the 
circumstances  that  directed  him  there:  "How  often  have  I  re- 
flected on  the  hand  which  guided  the  apparently  minute  occur- 
rences which  led  me  to  an  acquaintance  with  your  former  pastor, 
.•mil  on  the  effect  of  hia  persuasions  in  overcoming  my  prejudices 
and  changing  my  formed  resolutions." 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  £21 

for  a  life  of  ease  and  earthly  enjoyment,  lie  cheerfully 
bore  the  confinement  and  trials  and  toils  of  a  study  and 
a  parish  that  he  might  besl  serve  his  Saviour  and  his 
race.  Such  a  spirit  ensured  him  success,  llisdevot- 
edness  to  the  people  attached  them  to  him.  and  opened 
their  minds  and  hearts  to  his  teachings.  Without  ora- 
torical gifts,  without  personal  beauty  or  gracefulness  <  r 
impressiveness,  of  slight  figure  and  homely  face  and  rigid 
joints,  and  utterly  unskilled  in  the  arts  of  the  sycophant, 
he  won  regard  by  the  ean  and  persistency  of  his 

evolence,  his  Belf-forgetfulness  and  self-sacrifice,  his 
infallible  judgment  and  superior  wisdom  :  and  the  con- 
gregation therefore  so  listened  to  him  as  to  learn  all  that 
eloquence  could  impart  and  to  f»-<-l  all  that  eloquence 
could  arouse  and  produce.  Be  diligently  searched  the 
Scriptures,  and  his  preaching  was  largely  a  repetition 
<>r  exposition  of  them;  and  in  his  week  evening  lec- 
tures, when  he  felt  at  liberty  to  dispell.--  with  the  for 
nudity  of  sermonizing  and  to  descant  at  pleasure  on  his 
book,  he  BO  illuminated  it  and  so  opened  u  that  the 
hich  crowded  the  school  house  w-cd 
chapel,  bung  on  his  lips,  and  drew  Instruction  and  in- 
spiration from  his  <1  -  Ever}  wakeful  moment 
bad  its  designated  assignment,  and  ad  to  study  and 
visiting.  No  shepherd  so  vigilantly  tended  his  flock. 
He  watched  old  and  young,  and  walked  among  them, 
and  fed  and  watered  them.  No  presciei  eed- 
tul  to  forecasl  tin-  result  His  farewell  sermon  del 
in  part,  whal  necessarily  took  place:  "Until  the  con 

elusion  of  L812,  tins  < gregation   had   not  enjoyed  in 

this  place  the  regulai   preaching  of  the  gospel,  ex 
upon  ever}    second  Sal. Lath."     u  At  the  time  when  it 


522  PBE8BTTEBIANI8M  IN  THE 

was  separated  from  "Whitesboro,  the  church  consisted 
of  fifty-seven  members.  Since  that  period  no  com- 
munion lias  passed  which  lias  not,  as  we  trust,  witnessed 
some  trophy  of  divine  grace.  Though  some  have  been 
summoned  from  the  saints  on  earth  to  mingle,  as  we  be- 
lieve, with  the  just  made  perfect,  and  some  have  with- 
drawn to  unite  with  other  disciples  on  earth,  still  at  this 
time  two  hundred  and  twenty-two  profess  obedience  to 
the  Saviour  of  men."  In  1814  ninety -eight  were  ad- 
mitted to  the  Lord's  table.  The  village  then  numbered 
only  seventeen  hundred  inhabitants,  and  as  other  de- 
nominations had  their  churches  too,  the  Presbyterian 
congregation  must  have  been  much  smaller  than  it  after- 
wards grew  to  be.  The  proportion  of  it  therefore,  then 
brought  under  the  saving  power  of  divine  truth  probably 
exceeded  that  of  any  subsequent  year  in  the  history  of 
the  church.  But  Mr.  Dwight  claimed  no  part  of  the 
efficient  cause.  All  this  he  cordially  and  gratefully 
acknowledged  was  divine.  "  God's  hand,"  he  sa}*s,  "is 
visible  in  the  effect  which  has  attended  the  dispensation 
of  the  gospel.  In  very  few  instances  has  the  convic- 
tion or  conversion  of  sinners  been  traced  to  any  partic- 
ular discourse  and  instructions.  By  an  invisible  in- 
fluence he  has  awakened  solemn  impressions  in  the 
minds  of  a  few.  He  has  made  their  serious  views  ol 
the  importance  of  religion  an  instrument  to  excite 
others,  or  he  has  given  a  general  effect  to  the  preach- 
ing of  his  truth,  or  made  efficacious  the  events  of  his 
Providence.  He  has  strikingly  taught  us  the  truth 
thai  neither  he  that  planteth  is  anything,  neither  he 
that  watereth,  but  G-od  who  giveth  the  increase.  Un- 
der his  Bacred  influence  the  accession  to  this  church 
has  been  constant." 


SYXOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  523 

Mr.  Dwight  likewise  recognized  the  agency  of  his 
people  in  whatever  was  accomplished.  He  says  :  "  My 
confidence  in  commending  you  to  God  arises  likewise 
from  the  respect  and  kindness  with  which  you  have 
treated  his  ministers.  It  would  be  arrogance,  extreme 
vanity,  the  robbing  you  of  the  honor  which  is  your 
due,  to  suppose  that  the  regard   you  have  shown  your 

>rs  has  arisen  from  their  personal  merits  alone.  It 
lias  come  from  the  honor  which  you  have  given  to  the 
most  noble  office  which  can  be  sustained  by  man — 
from  affection  for  and  deference  to  the  servants  and 
embassadors  of  Christ,  as  well  as  from  attachment  to 
them  as  men.  Be  assured  that  as  far  as  your  feelings 
in  this  respect  have  been  pure,  they  have  not  been  un- 
noticed. It  is  the  declaration  of  your  Judge:  i;He 
that  receiveth  you  receiveth  me,"  and  "  whosoever  shall 

you  a  cup  of  cold  water  in  my  name  because  ye 

ag  to  Christ,  verily  I  say  unto  you,  he  shall   not 

his  reward." 
Busy  and  prosperous  and  happy  in  his  pastorate,  in 
favor  with  God  and  man,  having  con-taut  tokei 
the  divine  approbation,  and  with  the  warmesl  affec- 
tion of  his  people  and  their  invariable  deference  to  him 
and  their  highest  appreciation  of  him,  it  was  a  bitter 
disappointment  to  be  laid  aside  from  the  ministry.  But 
how  submissive  he  was!  "By  whom  are  my  hopes 
blasted?"  he  exclaims,  "the  hopes  of  Instructing 
you  in  the  path  of  life,  of  consoling  you  in,  the  hours. 
..  bereavement,  sickness  and  death,  of  attend- 
ing you  to  the  place  appointed  for  all  the  living,  and,  at 

of   iiiiii-ling  my  dust  with  yours,  until  the  \<> 

the  Archangel  shall  wake  the  dead  ?"    And  Ihenadds: 


524  rilESB  YTEllIA  NISM  IN  THE 

"  The  office  of  a  minister  of  Christ  is  worthy  the  am- 
bition of  an  angel.  While  my  purposes  are  broken  oft. 
it  is  consoling  to  reflect  that  this  is  the  decision  of  un- 
erring goodness.  To  God's  Government  let  us  bow  in 
silent  submission.  It  is  the  Lord — let  Him  do  as  it 
seemeth  to  Him  good.  His  ways  are  mysterious.  His 
judgments  are  a  great  deep.  It  is  not  possible  for  us 
fully  to  understand  the  reasons  on  account  of  which  he 
has  removed  from  you  in  the  short  period  of  fourteen 
years,  three  pastors,  (Mr.  Dodd,  Dr.  Carnahan  and  him- 
self,) in  the  meridian  of  life,  in  the  midst  of  their  use- 
fulness, and  in  whom  you  have  been  so  well  united. 
Perhaps  it  is  to  exhibit  his  independence, — to  show 
that  he  can  dispense  with  any  of  his  servants  and  still 
fulfil  all  his  purposes.  Perhaps  it  is  to  teach  us  that  our 
reliance  must  be  placed,  not  on  man,  but  on  the  eternal 
God  alone.  Perhajjs  it  is  to  deeply  impress  our  hearts 
with  the  mutability  and  vanity  of  all  earthly  things. 
These  are  important  truths  and  best  learned  in  the 
school  of  bitter  experience.  Yet  since,  amidst  the 
dark  clouds  which  veil  his  providence,  the  hand  of 
God  is  visible,  with  the  Apostle,  in  the  moment  of  sep- 
aration, I  point  to  Him."  Nay,  more  than  submissive, 
he  felt  the  deepest  sense  of  unworthiness  and  was  too 
much  distressed  by  his  conviction  of  sin  to  complain  of 
severity  or  offer  resistance.  His  frame  was  penitential 
and  not  murmuring  and  rebellious.  He  needed  forgive- 
ness, he  fejt,  and  so  henious  did  he  adjudge  his  guilt 
that  he  despaired  of  furnishing  a  propitiation  for  it,  His 
language  was:  "On  the  review  of  my  ministry,  my 
heart  looks  to  the  sacrifice  for  sin  bleeding  upon  the 
Cross,  and  exclaims:  My  hope  is  in  Christ  alone !" 


SYNOD  OF  VENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  525 

So  totally  did  Mr.  Dwight's  voice  fail  that  he  could 
not  speak  a  farewell  to  his  people.  Penning  it,  lie 
secured  the  offices  of  another  for  the  reading  of  it. 
How  affecting  every  word  in  it.  Notice  the  langu- 
age in  which  he  expresses  his  appreciation  of  the  kind- 
of  his  people  and  his  feelings  towards  them. 
•' It  would  be  unworthy  dissimulation  to  suppress  the 
gratitude  which  swells  my  heart  at  the  recollection  of 
the  respect  and  affection  which  have  been  extended  to 
me  through  the  whole  course  of  my  ministerial  life. 
To  its  last  pulsation,  my  heart  will  not,  I  trust,  forget 
your  kindness,  and  no  sun  rise  or  set  which  does  not 
witness  my  prayer  for  your  best  interests.  Nor  is  the 
delicacy  with  which  you  have  avoided  everything  cal- 
culated to  wound  my  feelings,  unheeded.  Nor  is  there 
any  want  of  sincerity  in  the  declaration  that  I  leave 
this  congregation  with  a  heart  free  from  enmity  towards 

■>f  its  members,  for  nothing  has  occurred  t<>  excite 
it.'"  Notice,  too,  his  language  in  reference  to  his  en- 
forced retirement  :  "  My  work  in  the  gospel  ministry  is 
now  closed  probably  forever.  The  account  of  my 
stewardship  is  sealed  in  heaven,  to  be  unfolded  at  the 
judgment  The  \Lc%\  High  has  dismissed  me  from 

this  noble  office,  which  was.  and  -till  is.  the  deliberate 
choice  of  my  heart,  and  to  which.  I  trn>t.  1  have  earn- 
estly consecrated  my  strength.     Be  casts  me  asideas  ;> 

el  in  which  he  has  no  pleasure.  My  strength  forthe 
ministry  and  almost  my  hope  have  perished.  Bui 
wherefore  Bhould  ;i  living  man  complain,  a  man  for 
the  punishmenl  <»f  his  sins.  His  chastening  hand  is 
upon  mc.  and  before  him  I  would  acknowledge,  it  is 
than  my  iniquities  deserve     In   his  presence  my 

only  pica   is,      God  1"'  merciful  to  mc,  a  sinner.*' 


,526  PRESB  YTER1A  MSM  IN  THE 

Removing  from  Uticaand  closing  his  active  ministry, 
Mr.  Dwight.  in  1817,  made  a  home  in  the  charming 
village  of  Geneva,  N".  Y.,  and  opened  a  bank  there, 
himself  and  his  brothers  furnishing  most  of  the  capital. 
lie  proved  an  able  and  successful  financier.  His  integ- 
rity and  fairness  established  him  in  the  confidence  of 
the  community,  and  brought  him  a  large  business.  No 
similar  institution  in  the  country  bore  a  better  name. 
From  the  granting  of  the  charter  in  1817  to  its  expira- 
tion in  1853,  the  old  bank  never  failed  to  declare  an 
annual  dividend  of  ten  per  cent,  besides  distributing- 
several  large  amounts  of  surplus  gains.  The  bank 
propagated  itself  at  the  West, — two  of  its  kind  and 
generation  there  pursuing  the  career  and  bearing  the 
character  of  the  Geneva  institution.  No  better  use 
could  have  been  made  of  money  for  the  temporal  neces- 
sities, development  and  welfare  of  the  new  country.  A 
helping  hand  was  stretched  out  to  the  great  mass  of 
settlers,  who  almost  penniless,  or  with  moderate  means, 
were  putting  up  the  industrial  structure  and  machinery 
of  the  community,  and  opening  the  channels  and  estab- 
lishing the  marts  of  its  traffic,  and  clearing  up  forests 
and  taming  soil  for  agriculture.  But  Mr.  Dwight's 
heart  remained  in  the  ministry,  and  he  kept  its  tools 
about  him  and  continued  such,  of  its  work  as  consisted 
with  feeble  speech.  Though  but  a  youth  then,  he  is 
clearly  before  me,  as  I  occasionally  looked  in  upon  him 
in  an  upper  room  of  his  banking  house.  There  it  was 
he  gave  answers  and  directions  to  the  cashier  and  sub- 
ordinate officers,  and  heard  the  applications  and  tales  of 
borrowers  and  creditors,  and  passed  decisions  and  judg- 
ments upon  them.     Bui  relieved  <>f  visitors,  the  place 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  52  ] 

bore  all  the  appearance  of  a  study.  Opened  books  lay 
on  the  tables,  and  examining  them,  they  proved  to  be 
bibles  and  commentaries,  and  judging  the  occupant  by 
the  appliances  he  was  using,  here  was  the  pastor  of  a 
church  and  not  the  president  of  a  bank.  Quite  as  dis- 
tinctly do  I  remember  the  scene  in  the  chapel  on  Bible 
-  evenings.  For  the  first  half  of  the  session,  per- 
haps, groups  were  closely  gathered  in  the  seats,  with  a 
head  for  each,  and  amid  the  hum  of  voices,  bible  in- 
structions and  discus-ions  were  recognized,  and  Mr. 
Dwight  was  passing  here  or  there,  or  making  some 
arrangements,  or  busy  with  work.  For  the  last  half  of 
the  session,  the  assembly  sat  as  at  an  ordinary  meeting, 
tilling  the  entire  space.  Mr.  Dwight  stood  in  the  desk, 
an  opened  Bible  before  him,  and  with  low  and  husky 
voice  expounding  and  applying  the  pas  rer  which 

the  classes  had  just  gone,  using  lew,  and  those  gentle 
gestures,  raising  and  lowering  hi.-  spectacles,  and  with 
intensity  of  interest,  manifest  m  the  exercise,  despite  his 
moderation.  Not  an  eve  wandered.  Not  a  limbmoved. 
Transfixed,  as  it  were,  every  person  present  was  intent 
upon  him.  Still  more  reason  have  1  to  remember  Mr. 
Dwight's  lively  concern  ^>\-  the  spiritual  welfare  of  in- 
dividuals Harlan  Page  like,  he  watched  [or  the  signs 
of  impression,  and  sought  those  ou1  who  manifested 
them.  My  age  w<  uld  naturally  have  left  me  out  <>f  his 
notice,  and  my  church  connections  and  associations 
were  n<>t  of  his  denomination,  at  the  time.  lb-.  I 
know  not,  he  ascertained  the  buddings  of  Christian 
hope  in  me  and  in  an  intimate  friend,  now  likewise  in 
our  ministry, and  quicklj  and  with  the  utmost  delicacy 
and   tenderness  he  sel   himself  to  the   unfolding  of  \i 


528  PRESB  YTERIANISM  IN  THE 

within  us.  lie  also  made  the  best  of  parishioners.  lit- 
was  always  his  minister's  friend  and  right-hand  man. 
screening  him  from  wrong,  sustaining  him  in  the  parish, 
encouraging  his  heart  and  strengthening  his  hands,  and 
the  last  to  lose  hold  of  him  when  he  went  away,  lie 
habitually  and  vigorously  enlisted  in  the  promotion  of 
the  Bedeemers  kingdom  and  in  the  recovery  and  relief 
of  lost  and  suffering  humanity.  From  1814  to  1829. 
he  held  a  seat  in  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  Hamilton 
College,  and  from  1827  to  1855  in  the  Board  of  Trus- 
tees of  Auburn  Theological  Seminary.  "Previous  t< 
the  organization  of  the  American  Home  Missionary 
Society,  he  had  a  leading  agency  in  the  formation  and 
management  of  a  Domestic  Missionary  Society  in  his 
immediate  vicinity,  which  gave  encouragement  and 
strength  to  many  of  the  feeble  churches.  The  idea  of 
a  National  Society  on  substantially  the  same  basis  glad- 
dened his  heart;  and  by  his  intelligence,  his  sagacity. 
his  experience  and  his  faith  in  the  promises  of  God,  he 
rendered  important  service  in  developing  it  and  com- 
mending it  to  the  Christian  community,  and  in  found- 
ing the  American  Home  Missionary  Society.  Of  this 
Society  he  was  constituted  a  director  at  its  organization, 
and  in  1837  was  elected  its  President,  and  continued 
such  for  twenty  years;  and  for  twenty-seven  years  he 
acted  as  chairman  of  the  Western  New  York  Agency 
of  this  Society.  He  zealously  espoused  the  temper- 
ance reform,  and  largely  contributed  to  it :  and  by  dint 
of  persistent  urgency,  he  persuaded  Edward  C.  Delavan 
to  take  the  part  in  it  by  which  he  was  so  much  distin- 
guished, and  stood  by  him  in  his  after  struggles.  His 
mind  was  long  exercised   in  the  care  of  the  insane,  ami 


8YN0D  01    CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  529 

employing  agents  to  traverse  the  State  in  investigations 
about  them,  he  published  and  widely  circulated  the 
-  that  were  ascertained,  and  embodied  them  in  pe- 
titions to  the  New  York  Legislature,  and  these  he  con- 
tinued to  have  presented  and  pressed,  until  the  Asylum 
at  Utiea  was  established,  the  buildings  costing  over 
ad  surrounded  by  a  plot  of  130  acres,  cul- 
tivated for  ornament  and  for  crops,  and  with  a  capacity, 
always  filled,  lor  600  patients.  Mr.  Dwight  was  early 
on  the  list  of  munificent  donors  to  public  objects  for 
which  later  years  have  been  distinguished,  the  magni- 
tude of  his  gift-  t«»  Home  M  specially,  ere 
surprise,  and  stirring  up  men  of  wraith  to  do  likewise. 
Ee  adopted  the  principle  to  contribute  what  should  be 
expended  at  once,  and  not  laid  up  with  permanent 
funds.     Jn  the  final  disposal  of  his  estate,  amounl 

vend  hundred  thousand  dollars,  after  providing 
amply  for  his  family,  he  bequeathed  thirty  per  cent,  of 
the  residue  to  the  American  Eome  Missionary  Society, 
and  fifteen  per  cent  c;irh  to  the  American  1  iety, 

American  Board  of  Commissioners  for   Foreign 
sions,  the  American  Tract  Society,  and  the  Ann 
Sunday  School    Union,   and   ten  per  cent,  to  various 
other  boards  and  es;  and  directed  thai  al  th< 

•  of  his  widow,  her  portion  should  be  distributed 
at  the  same  rate  to  the  Bame  institutiona     Mr.  D 
was  married    Ma\   17.  1Mb  t-.  M.  n  .Miles  Sill, 

widow  of  Elisha  Eaton  Sill.  Esq.,  merchant,  of  I 
and  daughtei  of  Samuel  Hopkins,  Esq.,  of  Goshen,  Ct, 
and  Mary  Miles,  of  Salem.  Ct,  and  his  children  are 
Edmund  and  Henry  Dwight,  Esqa,  of  New  York 
and    Mary    Elliot     Dwight,    wife    of    llciiiw     1..     I 


530  PRESBYTERIAN1SM  IN  THE 

Esq.,  of  Poughkeepsie.  No  happier  union  could  have 
been  formed  by  liim.  Mrs.  D  wight  was  a  woman  of 
elegance,  spirit  and  affectionateness,  of  bright  and 
ready  wit  and  rich  humor,  exceedingly  agreeable 
and  entertaining  in  society,  a  complete  housewife  and 
cordial  hostess,  lighting  up  home  by  her  sunny  and 
cheerful  disposition,  and  mistress  of  the  whole  house- 
hold by  a  sway  too  good  natured  to  be  resisted.  A 
strong  man,  and  of  great  force  of  will,  and  inclined  to 
imperiousness,  Mr.  Dwight  himself  was  subdued  to 
parity  at  least,  if  not  to  submission,  and  so  acquired 
just  the  yielding  and  softening  which  he  naturally 
needed.  Principle  was  his  characteristic  trait  and  con- 
trolling power,  and  so  far  did  he  practice  and  cultivate 
it  as  to  make  the  general  impression  of  hardness  and 
severity,  and  so  far  did  he  carry  principle  that  it  some- 
times wrought  harshness.  He  always  aimed  to  do  just 
right,  and  doing  just  right,  he  occasionally  inflicted 
wrong.  He  exercised  conscience  disproportionately  t<> 
the  indulgence  of  the  heart.  Mercy  suffered  from  jus- 
tice. And  yet  beneath  cold  and  stern  principle  was 
overruled  feeling  as  tender  as  a  maiden's,  and  almost  as 
burning  as  a  seraph's.  He  had  the  quickest  of  sym- 
pathies, the  most  delicate  of  sensibilities,  the  kindest  of 
affections,  the  most  ardent  of  sentiments,  the  strongest 
of  attachments.  He  separated  from  his  father  and 
brothers  and  sisters,  in  passing  from  Unitarianism  to 
orthodoxy,  but  he  was  never  the  most  slightly  alienated 
from  them,  nor  they  from  him,  and  their  life-long  rela- 
tions were  those  of  the  nearest  kindred  and  most  inti- 
mate friends.  His  interest  in  the  church  of  his  first 
and  only  pastoral  love  seemed  never  to  abate.     Brought 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  531 

by  marriage  into  a  family  connection  with  him,  it  was 
my  privilege  and  pleasure  at  times  to  welcome  him 
to  my  home,  and  the  keenness  of  his  curiosity 
about  what  had  befallen  the  parish,  and  the  eagerness 
with  which  he  scanned  old  buildings  and  spots,  showed 
that  the  feelings  of  his  early  manhood  continued  fresh 
in  his  advanced  age.  When  the  present  house  of  wor- 
ship was  dedicated  to  its  sacred  uses,  he  came  on  to  en- 
joy  the  occasion,  and  none  present  more  fully  entered 
into  it.  A  few  of  his  parishioners  then  lingered  among 
us,  and  their  meeting  was  indescribably  loving  and 
Touching.  I  had  witnessed  similar  scenes  on  visits  to 
the  city  by  President  Carnahan,  and  the  impression  and 
the  pleasure  of  the  impression  received  from  the  ap- 
pearance here  of  these  long-ago  pastors  of  the  church, 
and  of  their  welcome  by  the  few  who  remained  of  the 
congregation  they  had  served,  can  never  pass  from  my 
memory  and  my  heart.  By  a  few  strokes  of  a  graphic 
pen,  William  D wight,  Esq.,  of  Boston,  well  sketched 
his  ancle,  Henry  Dwight:  "His  record  is  made  up, 
and  1  know  nothing  that  I  would  alter  in  it  if  I  could. 
1  defects  of  temperament  be  may  have  had  in  the  ej  i 
-  >me — defects  of  character  I  nevei  saw  in  him  Life 
was  to  him  a  serious  >erur  of  action  and  duty,  and  I 
always  admired  the  serene  cheerfulness  with  which  he 
ained  bis  part  in  it.  It  would  have  been  easier  for 
some  to  have  loved  him  bad  he  been  less  strict  in  bis 
ideas  of  duty,  and  of  more  gaiety  of  heart.  bu1  it  was  dif- 
ficult to  resist  loving  bim  when  yon  knew  how  kindly 
his  nature  was,  how  strong  were  bis  affections,  and  how 

child-like  was  his  i soientiousness,  and   with   what 

simplicity  he  led  his  daily  life  in  conformity    with  bis 


532  PRESBYTERIANISM  IN  THE 

ideas  of  duty.  With  strong  passions,  a  strong  will  and 
great  energy  of  character,  he  had  subdued  his  nature 
into  the  quietness  of  a  lake,  which  reflected  the  scenery 
of  this  world  and  of  another  in  forms  that  filled  his 
heart  with  love  and  praise.  He  was  interested  in  all 
knowledge,  and  was  one  of  the  pleasantest  and  most 
instructive  of  companions."  The  Board  of  Trustees  of 
the  congregation  of  which  he  had  been  so  long  a  mem- 
ber, gave  testimony  to  his  exalted  worth  and  extensive 
usefulness,  and  expressed  their  sense  of  the  loss  which 
the  society  had  sustained.  The  Board  of  Trustees  of 
Auburn  Theological  Seminary  put  on  their  records 
11  their  grateful  recollections  of  the  many  excellencies 
of  his  character  and  their  appreciation  of  the  loss,  from 
his  death,  sustained  by  the  seminary,  the  church  and 
the  world."  The  Executive  Committee  of  the  Ameri- 
can Home  Missionary  Society  "  recognized  in  this  dis- 
pensation, so  afflictive  to  the  church  of  God  and  to  all 
Christian  and  philanthropic  enterprises,  a  peculiarly 
severe  bereavement  to  that  institution, — the  loss  of  one 
of  its  earliest  most  constant  and  distinguished  patrons 
and  friends,"  and  they  recorded  their  "sense  of  his  em- 
inent ability  and  exalted  worth,  his  broad  and  compre- 
hensive views  of  the  divine  government  and  of  human 
responsibility,  the  simplicity  of  his  Christian  character, 
the  strength  of  his  faith,  his  stern  regard  for  principle 
and  duty,  his  inflexible  integrity,  his  large-hearted  be- 
nevolence, his  careful  observance  of  all  the  proprieties 
and  courtesies  of  life,  his  entire  devotedness  to  the  will 
of  God,  and  his  meetness,  when  the  summons  came, 
lor  the  joy  of  the  Lord." 

It  is  not  inappropriate  to  mention  that  Mr.  Dwight's 
brother  Edmund,  a  graduate  of  Yale  College  and  pre- 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK. 

pared  for  the  Bar,  founded  a  mercantile  house  in  Bos- 
ton which  built  up  the  manufacturing  villages  of  Chic- 
opee  Vails,  Cabotville  and  Holyoke,  and  he  was  the 
first  to  propose  Normal  schools  in  Massachusetts,  pledg- 
ing $10,000,  in  1838,  for  their  establishment,  provided 
the  Legislature  would  appropriate  an  equa]  sum  to  this 
purpose,  which  was  done 

• 
Kev.  James  Barrison  Dwight,  son  of  Rev.  Dr. 
Harrison  Gray  Otis  Dwight.  was  horn,  October  9,  1  v  •";<>. 
at  Malta,  the  Melita  of  our  version  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment and  memorable  with  all  Christians  in  connection 
with  the  Apostle  Paul's  escape  from  shipwreck.  Grad- 
uating from  Vale  College  in  1852, and  from  New  York 
Union  Theological  Seminary  in  1855,  be  took  two 
courses  of  lectures  at  the  New  York  College  of  Physi- 
cians. His  purpose  was  to  follow  his  father  in  the  pur- 
suit of  Foreign  Missions,  and  his  heart  was  particularly 
8e1  on  the  establishment  of  a  college  in  Turkey.  The 
failure  of  this  Bcheme  was  a  crushing  disappointment 
to  him  and  broke  up  all  his  previous  plans,  lie  sup- 
plied the  Cherry  Valley  Church  in  lv"»7  8,  finding 
much  satisfaction  ami  meeting  with  much  favor  in  the 
charge,  and  "an  enthusiast  in  literature  and  science,  he 
loved  to  explore  the  exceedingl)  interesting  geological 

formation  of  the  region,  w  here  e\  erv  Btone  contains  \\> 
Eossilg  and  w  here    the    \«r\     foundation    rock    has    been 

ground  ami  polished  bj  the  vast  primeval  glacier."  lie 
organized  the  Church  at  Englewood,  \.  J.,  ami  settled 
as  its  pastor  from  .lime  L860,  to  May,  lv,'»7.  From 
lM'dto  L871  he  was  occupied  with  writing  for  the 
press,  and  for    part  of  the   time   edited    the   Christian 


534  PRESBYTERIAN  ISM  IN  THE 

Union.  In  1871  he  accepted  the  Secretaryship  of  the 
"  Palestine  Exploring  Society,"  and  died  at  Englewood. 
December  2,  1872.  Highly  gifted  and  of  varied  cul- 
ture  and  of  a  genial  disposition,  he  failed  to  make  full 
proof  of  his  talents  and  opportunities  by  reason  of 
fickleness  and  fitfulness,  constitutional  with  him,  on  the 
shattering  effect  of  the  disappointment  before  men- 
tioned, or  the  result  of  broken  health.  He  married 
twice — first  in  1855,  the  daughter  of  Rev.  Dr.  Benjamin 
Schneider,  of  Turkey,  and  second,  in  1865,  the  daugh- 
ter of  S.  V.  S.  Wilder,  Esq.,  the  distinguished  merchant, 
philanthropist  and  Christian,  of  New  York  city. 

Rev.  James  Eells  was  born  at  Glastenbury,  Ct.. 
May,  1778,  and  graduated  from  Yale  College  in  1799. 
He  studied  divinity  with  Dr.  Backus,  and  after  his 
licensure,  he  preached  in  various  places  in  New  Eng- 
land. In  1808,  he  took  charge  of  the  "Westmoreland. 
N.  Y.,  Church.  Here  he  remained  for  seventeen  years, 
prosecuting  a  faithful,  successful  and  acceptable  minis- 
try ;  and  February  22,  1825,  he  requested  the  Presby- 
tery to  release  him  "  on  the  ground  that  the  state  of  his 
health,  for  some  time  past,  had  been  such  as  to  prevent 
him  from  performing  all  the  ministerial  duties  which 
the  interests  of  religion  in  that  extensive  soeiety  re- 
quired, and  because  the  congregation  were  more  united 
in  another  person  and  were  ready  to  lay  before  Pres- 
bytery a  call  for  his  ministerial  services,  and  because  he 
I iii 1 1 self  had  been  appointed  agent  of  the  Western  Edu- 
cation Society,  and  also  of  the  United  Domestic  Mis- 
sionary Society."  In  1831  he  removed  to  Wortbing- 
i«in.  Franklin  county,  Ohio,  and  thence  to  the  Western 


8TN0L  OF  CENTRAL  NSW  YORK. 

Reserve  in  1834,  preaehing  most  of  the  time  under  a 
commission  from  the  American  Home  Missionary  So- 
ciety. His  active  and  useful  career  was  suddenly  closed 
May,  1856,  by  a  violent  death  on  the  track  of  the 
Cleveland,  Columbus  &  Cincinnati  Railway.  He  came 
of  a  clerical  stock,  having  been  the  sixth  in  a  direct 
line  of  Presbyterian  or  Congregational  ministers,  while 
a  large  number  in  a  collateral  line  filled  the  sacred 
office.  Two  of  his  sons  also  were  clergymen — one  the 
Rev.  Hi".  James  Eells,  of  Oakland,  California,  and  the 
eldest,  James  Henry,  an  alumnus  of  Hamilton  College, 
of  the  class  of  1827,  and  of  Princeton  Seminary,  of 
the  class  of  1829,  and  pastor  at  Elyria,  Ohia  1833,  who. 
in  the  27th  year  of  his  age,  December,  1886,  was 
drowned  in  the  Maumee  river,  near  Perrysburgh.  Mr. 
Hells  commanded  universal  respect  by  his  charactei 
and  abilities,  and  was  looked  up  to  and  leaned  upon  by 
his  ministerial  brethren.  The  propriety  of  his  life  and 
the  faithfulness  of  his  labors  established  him  in  the 
confidence  and  regard  of  his  people.  His  preaching 
was  earnesl  and  practical,  and  seldom  or  never  <-«>ntro- 
rial, — "tk  us  gospel   ot  tin-   blessed   God' 

being  his  relished  theme.  He  was  a  true  philanthropist 
and  reformer  too— n<>t  hasty  in  giving  in  his  adherence 
t<>  principles  and  projects,  bu1  open  t<>  just  convictions 
and  ready  for  wise  movements  and  enterprises,  He 
left  behind  him  a  a\<>r  in  his  parish  at  \\ 

moreland  and  the  most  honorable  and  agreeable  memo- 
ries in  his  Presbj  tery  and  Synod 

Rev.  Ezra  Benedict]  Fan*  her  was  born  in  Patter 

son.   N.    v..   \'.,' .  9,  1810,  and  educated  at   Richfield 


536  PRESDYTERIANISM  IN  THE 

and  Cherry  Valley  Academies  and  Union  College  (class 
of  1835,)  and  Auburn  Theological  Seminary.  In  1841 
he  accepted  a  call  to  McGrawville,  the  only  pastorate 
he  ever  held,  and  continued  there  for  twenty-seven 
years  and  until  his  removal  by  death.  He  was  loved 
as  widely  as  he  was  known.  His  gentleness  and  mod- 
esty, and  at  the  same  time  his  dignity  and  manliness, 
his  good  sense  and  activity  and  industry,  his  blameless* 
ness  and  faithfulness  and  tact,  all  set  off  by  his  intelli- 
gent and  benignant  face  and  attractive  mein,  endeared 
him  especially  to  his  people,  and  growing  with  increas- 
ing years  in  the  esteem  of  his  fellow  Presbyters,  and 
familiar  with  ecclesiastical  proceedings  and  skillful  in 
conducting  them,  he  was  looked  up  to  as  an  adviser 
and  leader  in  the  Judicatories  to  which  he  belonged, 
and  became  a  revered  and  guiding  patriarch  to  his  min- 
isterial brethren.  His  fatal  sickness  was  short,  but 
distressing,  and  he  bore  it  without  resistance  or  com- 
plaint, and  when  death  brought  its  summons,  he  went 
cheerfully  ever  to  be  with  the  Lord.  Asked  if  the 
Saviour  was  precious  as  ever?  "  Oh,  yes,"  he  replied, 
"the  same  as  ever.  •Glory  be  to  God  in  the  highest!" 
He  died  on  Sunday  morning  just  as  his  congregation 
were  assembling  where  he  had  so  often  met  them,  and 
where  they  were  expecting  to  hear  him  again.  The 
Cortland  Presbytery,  of  which  he  was  a  member,  put  on 
record  a  full  and  affecting  expression  of  their  feelings 
at  his  death,  describing  him  as  so  constant  in  attending 
its  sessions,  and  so  conversant  with  PresbyteriaJ  rules 
and  usages,  as  to  contribute  greatly  to  the  correctness 
and  despatch  of  business,  "while  his  holy  unction"  was 
a  sweel  and  Bacred  anointing  in  devotional  meetings 
and  spiritual  exercises. 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  537 

Samuel  Ware  Fisher,  D.  D.  LL.  D.,  son  of  Samuel 
Fisher,  D.  D.,  was  born  in  Morristown,  X.  J.,  April  5, 
1814.  His  father  at  the  time  was  pastor  of  the  church 
in  that  town — one  of  the  largest  and  most  important  in 
the  State,  and  after  having  the  care  of  it  for  many 
years,  took  charge  of  the  church  in  Patterson,  X.  J., 
and  held  it  for  twenty  years.  He  was  an  eminently 
good  man  and  of  good  parts,  and  always  firmly  estab- 
lished in  the  confidence  and  favor  of  the  people  whom 
he  served :  he  stood  high  in  the  estimation  of  trie 
church  at  large.  At  the  "disruption,"  in  1S38,  he  was 
chosen  moderator  of  the  New  School  General  Assem- 
bly and  showed  greal  courage  and  firmness  and  pru- 
dence in  the  delicate  and  difficult  position.  When  too 
Ear  advanced  in  life  for  a  pastorate,  he  almost  constantly 
kepi  up  preaching  where  vacancies  existed,  and  ever 
held  watch  of  feeble  congregations.  Particularly  did 
lie  wait  on  the  people  of  Greenbush,  Rensselaer  county. 
X.  V.,  at  a  patriarchal  age,  while  his  son  was  pastor  of 
the  Fourth  Church,  Albany,  directly  across  the  Hud- 
son,  and  no  youthful  minister  could  have  won  more 
hearts  Completing  his  academic  education,  Dr.  S.  \V. 
Fisher  entered  Y&\e  College  and  graduated  from  it  in 
L835.  II-'  then  spent  a  year  in  Middletown,  Ct,  and 
after  thai  Btudied  divinity  ;it  Princeton  for  two  years 
and  at  Union  Seminary,  New  5Tork,  for  one  year.  11«' 
held  ;i  high  rank  both  aa  :i  collegian  and  a  seminarist, 
standing  well  us  a  scholar  and  asserting  himself  In  the 
affairs  of  his  class  and  the  whole  bod}  <>f  Btudenta 
His  theological  career  carried  him  through  the  period 
controversy  in  the  church,  and  he  took  a  leading 
pari  in  the  New  School  side  of  questions,  which  can- 


538  PRESBYTER1ANISM  IN  THE 

didates  for  the  ministry  discussed  as  earnestly  as  their 
fathers,  and  elder  brethren.  He  was  called  from  the 
Seminary,  in  1839,  to  AVest  Bloomfield,  N.  J.,  now 
Montelair,  as  the  first  pastor  there,  and  remained  three 
and  a  half  years,  manifesting  as  the  session  testify,  "  the 
fervent  zeal  and  the  unremitting  labor  which  have  ever 
made  his  life  so  full  of  usefulness  and  honor."  The 
church  records  contain  the  following  memoranda  in  his 
own  handwriting.  "  In  the  early  part  of  the  year  1840, 
this  church  enjoyed  a  season  of  refreshing  from  on 
high.  A  sermon  by  the  pastor  from  Jer.  28  :  16,  was 
followed  by  an  immediate  interest.  The  places  of  meet- 
ing were  too  small  to  hold  the  people,  and  the  church 
was  opened.  Divine  service  was  held  once  a  day,  and 
a  great  part  of  the  time,  twice  a  day,  for  more  than  two 
months.  The  church  was  very  much  revived  and 
blessed.  Between  twenty  and  thirty  have  made  a  pro- 
fession of  religion  here  and  elsewhere  as  the  fruits  of 
that  revival.  In  the  fall  of  1842  there  were  signs  of 
an  increased  interest  in  religion.  Some  of  the  male 
members  of  the  church  were  unusually  aroused  to 
labor  and  prayer.  In  the  early  part  of  February,  1843, 
the  revival  seemed  to  have  really  commenced  with 
power.  The  interest  was  chiefly  among  the  young 
men.  Our  meetings  were  not  half  as  numerous  as  in 
the  first  revival,  nor  was  there  the  same  anxiety  in  the 
communit}^.  Yet  the  conviction  of  sinners  were  deeper 
and  the  cases  of  conviction  more  numerous.  About 
fifty,  we  trust,  have  passed  from  death  unto  life.  Some 
of  these  have  left  the  place.  About  thirty  joined  at 
the  last  communion  and  a  number  yet  remain  to  make 
.a  profession." 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  SEW  YORK.  539 

r 

In  184^5,  Dr.  Fisher  removed  tg  Albany  and  was  in- 
stalled over  the  Fourth  Church,  October  13.  The  place- 
presented  formidable  difficulties  to  any  minister,  and 

dally  to  one  of  his  sentiments  and  age.  It  was  or- 
ganized in  1828  by  a  colony  from  the  Second  Church, 
disaffected  because  of  a  failure  to  call  Rev.  Edward 
Nbrris  Kirk,  ]).  ])..  to  the  pastorate  there,  and  because 
of  the  more  conservative  views  of  the  majority  of  their 
brethren.  Dr.  Kirk  was  then  at  the  intensest  point  of 
his  youthful  ardor,  burning  with  zeal  for  the  salvation 
of  souls,  and  ;ill  on  fire  with  the  desire   to  inflame  and 

se  what  he  considered  the  generally  sluggish  and 
lukewarm  church.  He  intended  nothing  like  censori- 
ousness  and  presumption  and  arrogance,  but  intent  on- 
his  object  and  engrossed  with  it.  he  could  not  be  scru- 
pulous in  guarding  against  the  appearance  of  them,  and 
careful  about  the  means  t<»  be  employed  in  stimulating 
Christians  and  converting  sinners,  lb-  was  an  exceed- 
ingly popular  and  successful  preacheT  in  revivals  of 
religion  and  widely  traversed  the  countryto  iill  its  pul- 
pitson  Buch  -      Utica  still  ha.-  the  mosl   vivid 

and  grateful  recollection  <»f  him  in  tie*  memories  of  the 
Burvivingfew  who  Listened  t<>  him  and  the  talis  of  his 
sermons   and  :'  frequent  repetition  and 

likely  to  descend  t«>  distant  generations.  1I<-  learned 
wisdom  and  moderation  of  judgment  from  experience, 
and  could  hardly  be  recognized   in  ti  q   pastor 

he  became.  The  original  composition  and  constitution 
of  the  Albany  Fourth  Church  can  be  readily  imagined. 
Dr.  Kirk's  nine  years  ministry  consolidated  and  multi- 
plied it.  but  did  not  essentially  change  it.  Rev,  Ed- 
ward D.  Allen, of  tli.  >11owini 


540  PRESBYTER1AMSM  IN  THE 

succeeded  Dr.  Kirk.,  Though  not  otherwise  distin- 
guished at  the  Seminary,  lie  was  known  as  among  the 
most  godly  there  and  well  reputed  for  ability  and 
scholarship.  His  appearance  denoted  invariable  seri- 
ousness and  earnestness,  and  while  never  thrusting 
himself  forward,  he  was  quickly  recognized  as  tena- 
cious and  resolute  and  irreversibly  set  on  his  duties. 
He  admitted  of  no  comparison  with  Dr.  Kirk,  in  the 
pulpit  or  in  society,  had  none  of  his  culture  and  fasci- 
nation and  magnetism  and  eloquence  ;  but  his  plainness 
did  not  offend  his  people,  and  his  goodness  and  undi- 
vided and  undistracted  devotedness  interested  them  in 
him  and  attached  them  to  him,  and  ordinary  as  his 
preaching  would  be  adjudged  by  an  intellectual  and 
aesthetic  standard,  it  was  endowed  with  power  and  fol- 
lowed up  by  the  most  indefatigable  of  pastorships,  and 
he  enlarged  the  bulk  of  the  church  considerably  beyond 
Dr.  Kirk.  The  seeds  of  fatal  disease  were  planted 
early  in  him,  and  frequently  sprung  up,  and,  at  a  com- 
paratively youthful  age,  their  harvest  was  reaped.  Dr. 
Fisher  took  charge  of  the  church  with  a  membership 
of  nine  hundred — exceeding  that  of  any  other  of  its 
denomination  at  the  time.  There  might  have  seemed 
t<>  have  been  little  in  common  between  the  minister 
and  the  people  save  their  consecration  to  the  Lord,  but 
that  so  far  identified  them  that  they  were  indivisibly 
one  in  the  process  of  remodeling  through  which  he 
carried  them,  and  the  result  is  sufficiently  indicated  by 
the  Eact  that  Rev.  Dr.  Mandeville,  of  the  Reformed 
(Dutch)  Church  followed  him.  and  that  no  stauncher 
church  DOW  exists  in  the  land. 

In  184,6,  Dr.  Fisher  accepted   a  call   to  the  Second 
Presbyterian   Church,  Cincinnati.      The  step  he  thus 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  541 

look  was  even  more  venturesome  than  when  he  went  to 
Albany,  though  for  the  greatest  extent  on  account  of 
directly  opposite  reasons.  The  church  was  homogen- 
eous and  compact,  of  established  standing  and  of  su- 
perior rank.  None  in  the  land  surpassed  it  in  cul- 
ture, social  position  and  wealth.  The  elite  of  the  city 
and  magnates  in  professional  and  civil  circles  combined 
with  others  of  ability  and  intelligence  and  means  in  its 
membership  and  congregation,  and  it  was  a  risk  for  any 
young  man,  just  past  his  thirtieth  year,  to  take  the  pul- 
pit of  such  a  people  and  the  part  of  their  spiritual 
guardian  and  counsellor.  The  difficulty  was  aggra- 
vated by  the  succession  into  which  he  was  brought. 
Lyman  Beecher  immediately  preceded  him  and  had 
passed  there  I  he  palmiest  days  of  his  peerless  eloquence 
and  power.  "What  could  a  man  do  who  came  after 
the  king.1'  The  result  demonstrated  that  there  was  no 
rashness  in  the  case.  Asking  nothing  from  charity  by 
virtue  of  inexperience  and  immaturity,  but  challenging 
judgmenl  on  the  basis  o[  his  own  merits,  Dr.  Fisher 

commanded    acceptance    and    won    favor,    and    though 

widely  different  from  Dr.  Beecher  and  not  equal  to  him 
in  intellect,  nor  approaching  him  in  genius,  there  was 
no  drooping  in  the  interesl  awakened  and  sustained, 
and  no  diminution  in  the  amount  achieved.  During 
his  eleven  years  pastorate  in  Cincinnati,  one  hundred 
and  scvent)  eight  were  added  to  the  church  on  examin- 
ation and  two  hundred  and  forty-eight  by  letter,  while 
its  benevolenl  activitj  was  greatlj  quickened,  He 
originated  various  organizations,  prominent  among 
then]  a  Youiil'  Men's  Home  Missionary  Society  <■! 
great  usefulness,  and  stimulated  general  liberality. 
i  ., 


542  PRESBYTERIAN  ISM  IN  THE 

The  prominence  to  which  lie  had  attained  brought 
him  to  the  notice  of  the  Trustees  of  Hamilton  College 
when  the  resignation  of  Dr.  North  made  a  vacancy  in 
its  Presidency,  and  he  was  invited  to  till  it.  His  first 
response  was  in  the  negative,  but  subsequent  reflection 
and  a  personal  examination  of  the  institution  induced 
him  to  accept,  and  he  was  inducted  into  office  in  the  fall 
of  1S58.  The  considerations  that  determined  him  were 
the  affinity  between  learning  and  religion,  and  their 
joint  operation,  and  especially  the  connection  between 
the  college  and  the  church  and  the  importance  of  the 
former  to  the  latter  and  the  magnitude  and  worth  of  its 
use  to  it,  and  an  anxiety  to  closen  the  relation  of  the 
two  and  render  the  college  still  more  tributary  to  the 
ehurch. 

He  found  an  institution  when  he  came  t<>  Clinton, 
stamped  by  God  as  his  own — bearing  the  tokens  of 
his  proprietorship  in  the  habitual  influence  of'  his 
spirit  and  its  frequent  special  outpouring,  and  showing 
its  recognition  of  Him  as  its  owner,  by  constant  and 
large  service  in  replenishing  the  ministry  and  the 
ehurch,  and  one  thousand  six  hundred  alumni  distrib- 
uted over  the  land  and  the  world,  and  in  every  profes- 
sion and  pursuit,  were  its  letters  of  commendation  and 
its  aetive  advocates  and  agents.  Nearly  half  a  century 
of  trial  had  established  its  scholarship  and  training  in 
the  confidence  of  the  learned  and  of  the  community  at 
large.  A  line  <>f  able  and  industrious  instructors  had 
filled  its  Professorships,  and  ;i  superior  Faculty  wel- 
comed the  new  President  to  his  post.  The  college  had 
made  up  a  history  of  development  and  grown  to  large 
dimensions  and  multiplied  its  appliances  and  resources. 


SYNOD  OF  VENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  Q  1:3 

A  numerous  body  of  students  idled  its  elasses  and 
diligently  pursued  their  education  and  the  grandest  of 
opportunities  were  furnished  to  one  of  holy  ambition 
and  aspirations.  Like  all  prosperous  institutions  and 
enterprises,  the  college  was  proceeding  towards  perfec- 
tion, but  had  not  attained  to  it,  and  it  needed  the  requi- 
site facilities  for  progress  and  expansion.  New  depart- 
ments, additional  instructors,  enlargement  of  the  library 
and  apparatus  and  other  endowments  were  indispensa- 
ble to  its  keeping  pace  with  the  times  and  advancing  in 
its  course. 

Dr.  Fisher's  inaugural  and  other  addresses,  exhibited 
his  acquaintance  with  the  theories  of  education  under 
current  discussion,  and  pronounced  his  views  as  conser- 
vative-progressive. He  held  to  the  principle  of  disci- 
pline as  chief  and  controlling,  but  favored  a  widening 
range  of  study.  Most  of  all  and  first  of  all,  and  most 
earnestly  of  all,  he  advocated  the  introduction  of  the 
religious  element,  and  its  universal  pervasiveness,  lie 
would  have  the  college  characteristically  Christian  and 
its  agency  predominantly  spiritual,  and  the  hope  of 
contributing  to  this  was  the   main    motive  with  him  for 

consenting  to  stand  at  its  head. 

His  presidency  was  notable,  and  in  certain  directions 

very  successful.      lie    began  with  an  active  agitation  of 

religion,  and  maintained  it  to  the  last  Remade  him- 
self an  administrator  of  the  gospel  even  more  conspic 
tiously  than  of  Literature  and  science,  exalting  his  pul- 
pit above  his  Chair,  and  his  first  measure  was  the  adop 
tion  of  the  Bible  as  a  text  book  throughout  the  course, 
and  constituting  attainments  in  it  as  determinate 
standing  in  a  class  as  those  in   ;m\  other  stud  v.     Hi- 


544  PRESBYTERIANISM  IN  THE 

most  effective  work  was  among  the  churches.  He  car- 
ried the  college  to  them,  bringing  it  into  their  pulpits 
and  assemblies,  and  into  the  homes  of  their  congrega- 
tions, and  making  it  known  b}'  his  preaching  and  social 
intercourse.  Particularly  did  he  hold  alliance  with  the 
ministers,  keeping  himself  one  of  them  and  continuing 
to  act  with  them.  Never  was  he  missed  from  Presby- 
tery or  Synod,  and  no  one  wTas  more  prominent  and 
busy  in  the  general  affairs  of  his  denomination. 

His  gifts  did  not  qualify  him  for  permanency  in  a 
college,  and  his  tastes  did  not  affect  it,  and  finishing 
the  work  given  him  to  do  there,  he  glady  returned  to 
the  pastorate,  and  November  15,  1867,  resumed  it  in 
the  Westminster  Church,  Utica.  He  was  like  a  bird 
escaped  from  its  cage.  He  got  back  to  the  range  for 
which  he  was  born,  and  flew  about  on  joyous  wing. 
Never  was  he  happier  and  never  busier.  It  seemed  as 
if  he  would  make  up  for  the  time  spent  at  the  college, 
and  make  up  for  the  pleasure  he  had  forgone  there. 
He  could  not  study  and  write  and  preach  and  visit  too 
much,  and  every  word  he  uttered  in  public  and  private 
was  clothed  with  power.  His  congregation  increased, 
his  meetings  filled  up,  and  accessions  were  made  to  the 
church,  nearly  fifty  being  added  to  it  on  an  examina- 
tion ;it  a  single  administration  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  in 
I860.  Ilf  actively  seconded  a  mission  originated  by 
the  liberality  of  Mrs.  Harriet  C.  Wood,  and  followed 
bv  the  munificence  of  Mrs.  E.  M.  Gilbert  and  her  fam- 
ily, ;n id  greatly  furthered  under  the  ministry  of  the 
Westminster  Chnreh,  by  Rev.  Dr.  Samuel  M.  Campbell. 
To  this  enterprise  lie  surrendered  fifty-one  of  his  com- 
municants   when    it    was   organized  into  the  Bethany 


SYNOD  OF  CENTS AL  NEW  YORK.  0  lo 

Church,  about  three  hundred  and  sixty-five  remaining 
with  him.  Three  Sunday  schools  were  carried  on. 
numbering  nearly  six  hundred  scholars,  a  fine  parson- 
age was  purchased,  and  the  beautiful  chapel  previously 
erected  at  the  expense  of  EL  M.  Gilbert,  Esq.,  was 
1  to  the  Society. 
During  the  night  of  May  11.  Is7<>,  he  was  suddenly 
paralyzed,  not  the  faintest  symptom  of  it  giving  the 
slightest  forewarning.  Indeed  he  was  unusually  active 
and  buoyant  immediately  before.     His  son  came  to  my 

e  early  in  the  morning  to  announce  the  event,  and 
any  present  recurrence  t<>  it  renews  the  shock  of  that 
moment  There  was  a  difference  of  but  two  months 
in  our  ages,  and  we  had  been  acquaintances  from  the 

ining  of  our  ministries,  and  frequenl  associates  in 

siastical  bodies  and  transactions.  1  had  .-  ig  : 
him  for  the  Presidency  of  Hamilton  College,  and  con- 
ducted the  correspondence  with  him  about  it.  and  co- 
operated witli  him  while  filling  it.  and  we  acted  to- 
getherin  the  Board  of  Trustees,  and  as  members  of  the 
Executive  Committee.  His  removal  to  Utica  brought 
as   into   still   closer   relations.     Particularly  were   we 

iated  in  the  work  of  "reunion,"  and  most  particu- 
larly at  tin.-  time  iii  conference  and  labor  -  >\  er  the  work 
of  "  reconstruction"  following  reunion,  and  in  prepar- 
>ome  business  foi  the  approaching  General  Assem- 
bly. He  had  also  been  conferring  with  meaboul  a  pa- 
per he  was  appointed  to  present. to  the  Evangelical  A.1 
liance,  and  the  unfinished  manuscript  of  which  was  his 
last  writing,  and  left  on  hi>  study  table  when  he  retired 
for  rest  on  the  night  of  his  calamitous  illness.  His 
parish  ion  ere  and  friend-  could  not   but  hope,  in  their 


546  PRESBYTERIAN  ISM  IN  THE 

anxiety  for  it,  that  he  might  recover  enough  for  at 
least  ordinary  service  in  his  pastorate,  and  inspired  with 
something  of  the  same  sentiment,  or  deferring  to  it,  he 
consented  to  take  time  for  the  experiment  A  painful 
disappointment,  however,  befel  him  and  them,  and  Jan- 
uary 13,  1871,  he  dictated  the  following  letter : 

To  the  Session  and  Members  of  the  Westminster  Church,  Utica  : 

The  afflictive  Providence  of  God  has  laid  me  aside  from  the 
duties  of  my  profession,  and  consequently,  for  the  present,  dehars 
me  from  fulfilling  my  obligations  to  you  as  a  preacher  and  pastor. 
Leaving  the  future,  with  all  its  uncertainties,  in  his  hands,  while 
thanking  God  for  the  blessed  privilege  of  ministering  for  him  in 
your  pulpit,  and  expressing  my  gratitude  to  you  for  the  affection 
always  shown  to  me  in  the  relation  of  pastor  and  people,  I  am 
constrained  to  ask  for  a  dissolution  of  this  pastorate,  and  request 
you  to  unite  with  me  in  this  petition  before  Presbytery. 

Consent  was  reluctantly  given  by  the  people,  who 
continued  his  salary  to  the  first  of  May  ensuing,  mak- 
ing a  year  during  which  sickness  had  deprived  them  of 
his  services,  and  including  this  and  $3,000  from  out- 
side friends,  presented  him  with  $10,000.  They  also 
declared  that  his  connection  with  them  had  been  one  of 
"  great  prosperity,1'  and  bore  "  witness  to  the  eminent 
ability,  Christian  gentleness,  untiring  fidelity  and  abso- 
lute consecration  of  every  power  of  mind  and  body  to 
the  upbuilding  not  only  of  our  particular  church,  but 
also  of  the  church  of  Christ  at  large,  and  the  spread  of 
his  kingdom  in  the  world.'' 

Released  from  his  pastorate  at  Utica,  Dr.  Fisher  re- 
moved, with  his  family,  to  College  Hill,  near  Cincinnati, 
and  there  spent  three  years  in  undiminished  disability, 
but  in  all  the  comfort  and  enjoyment  compatible  with 
this    condition.      But    there    was    little  in  life  to  him 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  54 i 

without  active  labor,  and  with  no  prospect  of  resuming 
this  on  earth,  his  summons  to  the  busy  scenes  of  heaven 
was  a  gladsome  call  to  him.  Yet  he  felt  no  impatience. 
Zealously  doing  God's  will  in  health,  he  submissively 
bore  it  in  sickness.  A  visit  to  him  was  afflictive,  bv 
the  contrast  he  was  to  what  he  had  been,  and  yet  it  was 
delightful  from  the  sweetness  of  his  resignation.  ]t 
saddening  to  look  on  his  person,  before  so  well  knit 
and  buoyant,  but  now  so  loose  and  dragging,  and  to 
hear  thick  and  labored  utterances  from  his  lips  whence 
liquid  language  had  been  wont  so  freely  to  flow;  but 
i his  was  only  the  first  feeling.  The  spirit  within  him 
came  forth  and  the  charm  of  this  overflowed  the  _ 
from  his  .-battered  body.  It  was  appointed  that  e 
should  especially  be  on  the  day  of  his  unexpected 
death.  Difficulty  of  speech  had  not  intermitted  his 
part  as  priest  at  the  family  altar,  and  he  performed  it 
then  as  on  preceding  days,  lie  selected  the  hymn,  as 
had  been  his  wont,  and  gave  out  "Jewett"  as  the  tune, 
and  joined  in  the  singing  as  besl  he  could  and  with 
more  than  his  ordinary  emotion.  The  lines  exp 
the  Bubmissivenesa  of  his  soul: 

Thy  way,  not  mine,  0  Lord, 

However  dark  it  be, 
Lead  me  by  thine  own  hand. 

Choose  <>nt  the  path  for  in.-. 
I  dar«-  not  chooee  my  lot, 

I  would  not  if  I  might  : 
( !hooae  thou  tor  me,  my  <  lod, 

Bo  .-hall  I  walk  aright. 

'l'h»-  kingdom  that  I 

Ih  thine  ;  bo  let  tin-  way 
That  leads  t«>  it  be  thine, 

Else  1  most  surely  stn 
Take  thoa  my  cop,  and  it 

With  joy  or  sorrow  till 
a-  best  to  thee  maj  seem 

Choose  thoa  my  good  "nd  ill 


548  PRESBTTER1ANISM  IN  THE 

Dr.  Fishers  traits  were  pronounced.  No  study  was 
needed  to  understand  them.  They  stood  out  so  as  to 
compel  recognition.  He  was  honorably  ambitious  and 
aspiring,  and  enjoyed  authority  as  well  as  eminence, 
and  he  was  self-asserting,  not  offensively,  bnt  not  dif- 
fidently presenting  himself  for  notice  and  claiming  and 
exercising  power.  There  was  a  spice  of  vanity  in  him 
too,  but  he  was  so  ingenuous  in  it  as  to  be  almost  inno- 
cent, and  the  expression  of  it  was  amusing  rather  than 
disagreeable.  He  was  the  incarnation  of  activity  and 
energy,  every  faculty  and  organ  and  limb  in  perpetual 
motion,  and  his  whole  machinery  working  with  con- 
stant ai id  well  nigh  tremendous  power.  Motion  was 
rest  and  play  with  him,  and  quiet,  fretting  and  exhaust- 
ing. Too  intense  to  be  always  wise,  he  was  by  no 
means  reckless,  and  if  sometimes  destructive  and  harm- 
ful, and  oftener  unsuccessful,  what  he  shattered  and 
failed  in,  bore  no  proportion  to  what  he  accomplished. 
Principle  preponderated  with  him  over  hurry  and  force. 
Conscience  was  his  master  faculty,  and  incapable  of 
trickery,  he  coidd  not  perpetrate  wrong.  The  date  of 
his  conversion  cannot  be  precisely  given,  but  it  was 
probably  in  very  early  youth,  and  possibly  in  child- 
hood. He  bore  no  marks  of  past  viciousncss  and  per- 
versity, but  made  the  impression  of  having  passed 
into  manhood  from  untainted  purity  and  undeflected 
virtue.  His  heart  was  aglow  with  zeal  for  the  welfare 
of  his  race,  and  he  sympathized  with  it,  though  in 
increasing  intercourse  with  men,  this  seemed  to  be  in- 
duced by  what  may  be  called  his  business  with  them, 
— his  calling  as  their  benefactor, — much  like  intercourse 
in  trade, — and  not  by  the  enjoyment  of  it  in  itself  con- 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  549 

Bidered,  and  society  was  little  more  than  one  of  the 
spheres  in  which  his  work  was  carried  on.  Though 
overflowing  with  feeling  in  public  exercises,  he  was  ret- 
icent in  private  conversation  of  what  was  passing  within 
him  about  matters  of  personal  concernment,  and  rarely 
spoke  particularly  of  his  innermost  religious  experi- 
ences,  and  of  events  and  circumstances  that  touched  his 
nicest  sensibilities,  and  especially  his  pride.  Few  knew 
his  anxieties  and  sufferings  on  occasions  that  greatly 
tried  him,  and  it  was  this  keeping  there  the  fiery  floods 
that  tossed  in  his  soul,  that  secretly  consumed  him. 

His  convictions  were  positive  and  unyielding  and  open- 
ly expressed  He  grasped  nothing  slightly  and  feebly, 
and  least  of  all  his  opinions,  and  these  he  deemed  so  m<  »- 
mentous  that  he  could  not  hold  them  in  silence  or  put 
them  in  abeyance.  As  already  remarked,  he  embraced 
and  advocated  New  School  views,  and  he  could  not  leave 
'In-  New  School  Church.  It  was  not  partizanship  on 
his  part,  but  conscience,  and  when  invited  to  the  W 
minster  Church,  then  in  the  Old  School  body,  he  was 
obliged  to  ask   its  translation  to  the  New  School   body 

as    the    condition    of    an   acceptance;   and     it    COSI     the 

church  ;i  sacrifice  of  neither  obligation  nor  taste  to  con- 
nen1  t<>  this  He  was  mad-'  for  a  popular  preacher. 
His  appearance  favored  him.  The  pulpit  concealed 
his  rather  under-height, and  ;i  figure  well  tilled  out  and 
rounded  gave  the  impression  to  a  congregation  ^i  :i 
person  <)f  perfeel  health  and  spirits,  he  was  vi- 
vacity and  vigor  in  Bpeaking.  Considerably  denuded 
«>f  hair,  his  forehead  was  presented  t«»  the  eye  even  be- 
yond its  real  and  ample  dimensions,  and  unembarra* 
by  any  presence  or  by  a  sense  of  iinequalness  to 


i")f)0  PRESBYTER1ANISM  IN  THE 

occasion,  lie  spoke  confidently,  and  as  one  having  au- 
thority, and  with  intense  earnestness.  A  physical  in- 
firmity,— of  the  character  of  a  catarrhal  affection,  inva- 
riably displayed  itself,  and  ever  and  anon  with  great 
effect.  Tears  came  to  his  eyes,  and  when  deeply  mov- 
ed, flooded  them  and  overflowed  them.*  His  style  of 
composition  was  admirably  adapted  to  popular  discourse, 
— free  and  affluent  and  intense.  His  matter  was  not 
weighted  with  learning,  and  yet  considering  its  pur- 
pose, sufficiently  supplied  with  it.  Neither  was  it 
largely  set  off  by  imagery,  and  illustrated  by  analogies. 
And  it  was  not  drawn  from  profound  depths  and  eleva- 
ted heights  and  wide  expanses.  It  was  generally  nigh 
preacher  and  hearer,  by  no  means  familiar,  but  not  es- 
pecially novel.  Its  effectiveness  was  in  its  warmth, 
and  this  often  at  a  white  heat,  and  spoken  in  words 
that  burned.  The  themes  in  which  he  most  delighted 
were  those  that  most  partook  of  the  gospel.  Not  only 
did  he  disdain  the  novel  and  entertaining  and  secular 
and  sensational,  but  he  revolted  at  them.  When  in- 
quired of  about  him  by  the  people  of  Cincinnati,  who 
were  contemplating  his  call  from  Albany,  Dr.  D.  Howe 
Allen,  of  Lane  Seminary,  replied:  "He  is  a  man  of 
God,  who  will  preach  from  conviction,  the  simple  gos- 
pel of  Christ.'1 


*  Dr.  Backus,  the  first  President  of  Hamilton  College  and  a  dis- 
tinguished popular  orator,  was  like  Dr.  Fisher  in  this  respect. 
He  wept  when  he  preached.  Interrupting  himself  once,  he  said: 
"  Brethren,  I  beg  pardon  for  these  tears.  There  is  no  religion  in 
them,  but  I  could  not  help  them."  ,  But  when  drawn  by  religion, 
they  are  the  showers  that  water  its  seed-truths  and  soften  the 
.soil  to  receive  them. 


\  ( 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  551 

And  it  was  a  spiritual  effect  at  which  lie  aimed.  He 
>nged  for  souls  as  the  seals  of  his  ministry.  To  cou- 
rt sinners  was  his  passion  in  preaching.4  His  gift 
for  preaching  was  put  infrequent  requisition  for  spe- 
cial sermons,  as  at  ordinations,  installations,  church 
dedications,  and  anniversary  occasions,  and  at  the  semi- 
centennial of  the  American  Board,  he  delivered  oner 
which,  though  hastily  written  by  him  as  a  substitute. 
commanded  especial  admiration. 

It  might  have  been  presumed  that  Dr.  Fisher  would 
-it  enthroned  in  his  pulpit,  and  seldom  step  out  of  it. 
So  it  ordinarily  is  with  men  of  like  gifts.  They  are 
peerless  preachers,  but  insignificant  pastors.  Not  so 
with  him.  Seen  in  the  parish  it  would  have  been 
thought  that  his  place  and  part  were  there,  lie  lived 
among  his  people  and  vigilantly  watched  them,  and  no 
keener  -cent  ever  took  minister  to  the  new  comers  who 
settled  in  town.  Improvements  in  the  church  build- 
were  his  inspiration  and  oversight,  and  Sunday 
schools  and  city  missions  and  charitable  and  missionary 
iations  lor  the  congregation  and  for  young  people, 
and  contributions  to  the(  Ihurcb  Boards,  had  his  encour- 
agement and  incitement  and  management 

No  parish  was  wide  enough  for  his  range.     Se  trav- 
ersed the  community,  regarding  himself  as  belong 


■  The  whole  truth  here  i.--  not  told  without  the  Additional  - 
iiit-nt  that  Dr.  Fieher'i  lei  do!  particularlj  fruitful  in  the 

salvation  <>f  men.     No  la  sis  attended  them,  ami  though 

iderable  ao  i  tads  t<>  tin-  ehnrehet  under  hli  care, 

they  do  nut  compare  irith  the  numbers  received  b?  men  <>f  none 
of  hi.-  eloquent  ^  i  >«•»•«  li ,    ami  here  i*  another  of  tin-  myaterlei  that 
mil  in  in  !li<-  dispensations  <>f  divine  §rn 


552  PRESBYTERIAN1SM  IN  THE 

to  it,  and  as  charged  equally  with  others  composing  it, 
to  attend  to  its  interests  and  concerns.  lie  took  inter- 
est in  its  institutions,  educational  and  charitable,  and 
participated  in  movements  for  the  general  welfare. 
And  extending  beyond  this,  ho  performed  a  busy  part 
on  the  theatre  of  his  denomination,  always  present  at 
Presbytery  and  Synod  and  active  in  their  proceedings, 
and  repeatedly  a  Commissioner  to  the  General  Assem- 
bly, and  the  Moderator  in  1857,  of  one  of  its  momentous 
sessions, — the  complete  separation  of  our  church  from 
slavery  being  then  effected  by  deliverances  which  in- 
duced the  withdrawal  from  us  of  all  in  complicity  with 
it.  The  •'  Reunion  "  enlisted  him  heart  and  soul.  He 
had  no  official  part  in  preparing  for  it,  not  belonging  to 
the  Joint  Committee  by  whom  it  was  arranged, — but 
lie  stood  on  the  Committee  of  Conference  by  whom  it 
was  secured,  at  New  York,  in  .May.  1869,  and  at  the 
formal  and  final  consummation  at  Pittsburg,  November 
of  the  same  year,  he  offered  the  resolution,  under  the 
instruction  of  the  committee,  to  present  a  thank-offer- 
ing of  $1,000,000, — increased  by  a  vote  of  the  Assem- 
bly to  $5,000,000, — all  of  which  was  raised  and  appro- 
priated to  various  religious  objects. 

Many  of  Dr.  Fisher's  sermons  and  addresses  were  put 
to  the  Press.  In  1852  he  published  a  volume  entitled, 
"The  ThreeGreal  Temptations,"  and  in  \S('^^  ;i  volume 
of  "Occasional  Sermons  and  Addresses,"  and  a.  course 
of  Sermons  at  Qtica  on  tin-  "  Life  ^i  Christ,"  is  soon  to 
appear  in  print. 

George  \Yr.  Gale,  1>.  D.,  son  of  Josiah  and  Rachel 
dale,  of  Armenia,  Dutchess  county,  was  born  at  South- 


8TN0D  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  553 

East,  iii  the  .same  county,  December  8,  1789.  Gradu- 
ating from  Union  College  in  181-i,  he  spent  a  year  at 
Princeton  Theological  Seminary,  and  was  licensed  by 
the  Presbytery  of  Hudson  in  1816.  October  29, 1819, 
be  was  ordained  by  the  Presbytery  of  St.  Lawrence, 
and  set  over  the  church  in  Adams, — the  only  pastorate 
he  held.  Failing  health  compelled  him  to  resign  this 
charge,  and  taking  a  farm  in  Western,  he  engaged  in 
cultivating  it,  aided  by  students,  whose  tuition  was  the 
pay  for  their  labor.  Encouraged  by  his  success  in  this. 
he  conceived  the  idea  of  a  Manual  Labor  Institution, 
and  established  one  at  Whitesboro.  Some  hundreds  of 
ministers  and  laymen  were  educated  there,  and  the 
prosperity  attending  the  enterprise,  led  to  quite  numer- 
ous repetitions  of  it.  in  different  sections  of  thecountry. 
Almost  universally  these  failed,  and  after  Dr.  Gale's 
retirement  from  it,  the  Whitesboro  Academy  declined 
to  near  the  point  of  extinction,  when  the  manual-labor 
element  was  eliminated  from  it,  and.  reconstructed  on 
the  ordinary  basis  and  taken  into  the  hands  of  the  Krcc- 
Will  Baptists,  il  revived,  and  now  enjoys  a  vigorous 
lie-.  A-fter  leaving  Whitesboro,  Dr.  Gale  started  a 
scheme  for  colonizing  a  religious  community  in  Illinois 
and  rearing  a  college  there.  It  cosl  herculean  effort  t<> 
raise  the  requisite  funds  and  to  gather  the  settlers.  A 
town  of  teli  thousand  inhabitants  under  moral  and 
christian  regulations  and  influences,  and  a  college  with 

nearly  $300,000  endowment  and  an  able  and  evangeli- 
cal Faculty  and  quite  large  classes,  indicate  the  com- 
pleteness of  the  achievement     Be  occupied  a  Pn 

Orship  for  a  tune,  and  a  place  in  the  Hoard  of   Trust 
until   his  d.  alii,  in   1  V| 


554  rRESBYTEMANISM  IN  THE 

While  bold  in  his  ventures  and  invincible  in  his 
purposes,  he  was  orderly  and  conservative.  Zealous 
for  revivals  and  for  reforms,  he  opposed  extravagances 
in  both,  and  amid  the  surgings  of  error,  he  held  fast  to 
the  great  doctrines  of  grace  and  to  the  form  of  sound 
words  that  enunciates  them.  Especially  did  he  adhere 
to  the  Presbyterian  polity  his  experiences  in  times  that 
tried  it  and  laxer  systems  confirming  his  attachment  to 
it.  He  early  advocated  a  denominational  policy  in 
the  benevolent  work  of  the  church,  and  contributed 
largely  to  its  cordial  adoption.  His  personal  appearance 
was  a  commendation  of  him, — somewhat  under  size, 
but  of  a  figure  and  bearing  that  commanded  respect. 
His  countenance  was  serious, — too  much  so,  perhaps, 
or  too  uniformly, — and  the  intensity  with  which  he  ap- 
plied himself  to  his  plans  and  to  his  work,  traced  itself 
on  his  face  and  very  visibly  drew  its  lines  there.  He 
was  married  thrice, — first  to  Harriet,  daughter  of  Charles 
Selden,  of  Troy,  then  to  Esther,  daughter  of  Daniel 
Williams,  of  Galesburg,  111.,  and  last  to  Lucy,  daughter 
of  James  Merriman,  of  New  Haven,  Ct, — the  last  of 
whom  survived  him.  He  left  six  children, — all,  it  is 
believed,  by  his  first  marriage. 

Rev.  Chaunoey  Enocb  Goodrich  was  born  Sep- 
tember 19,  1801,  in  an  eastern  suburb  of  Troy.  The 
youngest  son  and  one  of  the  youngest  of  nine  children 
of  Dr.  Enoch  and  Kebecca  Gale  Goodrich,  he  was  a 
descendant  of  William  Goodrich,  who  emigrated  from 
Kngland  to  this  country  and  settled  at  Wetherslield, 
Ct.,  about  U)47.  Benjamin,  grandson  of  William,  and 
the    second   of    seventeen  children  of   David,  son   of 


8TN0L  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  QOO 

William,    married    Hannah    Olmstead,    of    the    same 
family    with    Professor   Olmstead.    of    Yale   College. 
Five   of  the  sons  of  David  Goodrich  battled  for  inde- 
pendence in  the  army  of  the  Revolution,  and  Enoch. 
the  youngest  of  these  soldiers,  and  the  twelfth  son  and 
fourteenth  child  of  his  parents,  born  in  1764.  studied 
medicine  in  Stanford,  Duchess  county,  where  he  found 
and  married  his  wife.     Admitted  to  practice,  he  began 
it  in  the  eastern  neighborhood  of  Troy,  but  moved  to 
Elbridge.  Onondaga  county,  then  a  part  of  Camillus. 
in  1806.     The  country  was  new  and  sickly,  and  while 
the  whole  family  suffered  from  prevailing  diseases,  the 
mother  died  the  first  year  and  the  father  the  second 
after  they  went  there,  Chauncey,  not  quite  six  years  old. 
was  taken   into  the  family  of  his  uncle  (by  marriage) 
Colonel   Nathan    Beck  with,   of    Rhinebeck.    Dut 
county,  and  remained  there  until  his  fourteenth  year. 
Poisoned  by  the  malaria  to  which  he  had  been  exp 
he  received  considerate  and  kind  treatment  in  his  < 
quent  weakness,      k  was  concluded  that  he  could  never 
perform  the  hard  work  on  a  farm,  and  the  profession  of 
medicine  was  chosen  for  him.     At  thirteen,  the  pros- 
pect of  being  able  t<»  prepare  for  this  was  blasted  by 
the  death  of  his  oldesl   brother,  Henry,  who  t<>.»k  his 
father's  office,  near  Troy,  and  had  educated   hi: 
almost  alone,  and  become  <iuite  proficienl  in  the  lan- 
guages and  sciences.     In   1815  he  went  t«»  a  tannei 
some  of  his  relations,  in  the  vicinity  o!  Troy,  and  o 
taxed  his  strength  and  broke  his  health.     In  1817,  he 
united  witli  the  church  under  the  care  of  R 
Younglove,  and  then  Bel  out  for  the  ministry.    His  time 
divided   between   manual  labor,  study  and  school 


5  5  ( )  riiESB  YTER1A  NISM  IX  Til E 

teaching  until  1820,  when  he  entered  an  academy  at 
Elbridge,  and  then  pursued  his  academic  course  with 
his  uncle,  Rev.  George  W.  Gale,  at  Adams,  and  com- 
pleted it  at  Lansingburg.  In  1823,  he  was  admitted  to 
the  Junior  Class  in  Union  College,  with  nothing  but 
the  good  Providence  of  God  and  the  kindness  of 
Christian  friends  and  his  own  exertions  to  depend 
upon  for  a  support.  The  Lord  provided  for  him, 
mainly  through  the  Presbytery  of  Troy,  under  whose 
care  he  had  been  taken,  and  a  Ladies'  Society  in  Troy. 
and  generous  individuals.  He  allowed  as  little  tax  on 
others  as  possible,  practicing  the  most  rigid  economy 
and  usually  boarding  himself.  Kow  and  then  he  came 
to  straits  when  a  loaf  of  bread  was  a  prized  gift.  But 
crippled  in  his  circumstances,  he  met  with  no  embar- 
rassment in  his  studies,  and,  in  1825,  graduated  at  a 
high  rank  and  earned  a  membership  of  Phi  Beta  Kappa. 
Entering  Princeton  Seminary  in  1825,  he  was  a  cotem- 
porary  there  with  students  who  became  eminent  in  the 
ministry, — such  as  Drs.  Nicholas  Murray.  David  Hun- 
ter Riddle,  Erskine  Mason,  William  Swan  Plumber. 
John  Holmes  Agnew,  George  W.  Bethune,  John  C. 
Young,  Peter  J.  Gulick,  Missionary  to  the  Sandwich 
Islands,  and  George  B.  Whiting,  Missionary  to  Syria- 
Graduating  in  1828,  his  heart  was  set  on  Foreign 
Mission  service,  but  the  Board  deemed  it  imprudent  to 
send  him  out  b}^  reason  of  his  poor  health.  Licensed 
by  the  Presbytery  of  Troy,  Mr.  Goodrich  spent  nearly 
two  years  as  assistant  in  the  Oneida  Institute,  of  which 
Rev.  George  W".  Gale,  his  uncle,  was  the  founder  and 
principal.  In  1830  he  was  ordained  by  the  Presbytery 
of  Oneida,  and  set  over   the  church  in  Salisbury,  Her- 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  557 

kimer  county,  his  salary  being  (400,  and  $100  of  this 
was  famished  by  the  American  Home  Missionary  3 
ciety.  And  such  was  the  average  support  he  received 
in  pastorates  aggregating  twelve  years,  at  Salisbury, 
Butternuts  and  Fly  Creek.  Winfield  and  Holland  Pat- 
ent. Infirm  health  and  defective  vision,  and  habitual 
engrossment  in  thought  forbad  a  manner  and  appear- 
ance that  would  ingratiate  him  with  the  people,  or  cre- 
ate a  just  estimate  of  his  ability  and  worth.  Indeed, 
he  lived  in  an  intellectual  world,  quite  apart  from  the 
community  generally,  and  there  was  so  little  harmony 
in  their  mental  constitution  and  exercise  that  they  could 
not  accord  and  sympathise.  lie  was  too  far  al 
them,  too  much  in  advance  of  them,  to  be  reached  and 
communed  with  by  them.  And  besides,  he  was  so  in- 
dependent in  his  opinions  and  so  ingenuous  and  frank- 
in  their  expression,  that  without  a  recognition  of  it.  or 
even  much  care  about  it.  lie  crossed  their  lines  of  thought 
and  contradicted  their  judgment  and  prejudices.  His 
vocation  was  not  that  of  a  preacher  and  pastor,  but  of 
a  thinker  and  investigator.  He  was  a  philosopher  in 
theology,  and  studied  it  without  deference  to  human 
authority,  and  so  it  was  that  though  he  had  sat  at  the 
feet  of  Gamalael,  he  did  not  take  the  teachings  of  his 

master  on  trust,  or   pay    much    heed   to  the  doetriia 

men.  Aa  a  natural  consequence,  his  definition 
truth  and  his  theories  aboul  it  brought  him  into  a; 
cut  conflict  with  established  symbols,  and  on  one* 

sion  he  was  Called  judicially  to  account  for  it,  but  re- 
tained by  th<  3  1  standing,  with  the  cau- 
tion, however,  not  to  speculate  and  speak  in  ways  that 
might  give  the  impression  of  heresy.     His  special  apti- 


.'  )i  >8  PEESB  YTER1AMSM  IN  THE 

tude  was  for  science,  and  had  he  made  this  his  profes- 
sion, few  could  have  surpassed  him.  A  casual  incident 
in  the  Bay  of  New  York,  wThere  he  was  sailing  on  his 
first  passage  towards  Princeton,  led  him  to  the  inven- 
tion of  a  lens,  which  he  used  for  thirty-six  years  to 
help  his  vision.  In  his  different  pastoral  charges,  he 
lectured  on  chemistry  and  other  sciences,  and  experi- 
mented in  the  culture  of  the  soil ;  and  when  he  gave 
up  the  care  of  a  parish,  he  betook  himself,  at  Utica,  to 
trial  methods  of  vegetable  and  fruit  raising,  and  at- 
tempted to  acclimate  the  growths  and  products  of 
milder  regions.  When  the  potato  disease  first  threat- 
ened that  priceless  crop,"  he  addressed  himself  to  its 
cure  ;  and  first  getting  acquainted,  as  he  supposed,  with 
its  pathology,  he  sought,  and  as  he  thought  discovered, 
the  efficacious  remedy.  Procuring  a  few  potatoes  from 
Chili,  he  commenced  experiments  for  a  renewal  of  the 
vegetable  from  the  seed,  and  also  sought  renewal  of  the 
seed  from  South  American  tubers.  Year  after  year,  for 
sixteen  years,  he  patiently  pursued  his  experiments,  no- 
ting on  the  field  the  minutest  particulars  of  each  plant, 
and  all  the  circumstances  of  soil,  cultivation  and  wea- 
ther that  could  affect  it,  and  he  spent  his  winters  in 
transferring  his  field  notes  into  essays  and  articles.  His 
communications  to  agricultural  journals  and  soeieties 
and  to  scientific  magazines  and  institutions,  exceed 
one  hundred  and  thirty,  while  he  gathered  a  large 
amount  of  material  on  vegetable  physiology  and  path- 
ology which  he  had  not  strength  to  put  into  form  and 

*  It  is  a  curious  fact  that  with  all  his  zeal  for  the  potato,  Mr. 
<i.  was  never  able  to  eat  it.  He  tested  the  varieties  by  chemical 
analysis,  taste  and  cooking  qualities. 


8YN0D  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  559 

present  to  the  public.  Conscious  of  failing  powers, 
and  a} (prised  of  the  near  approach  of  death,  he  pre- 
pared two  papers  on  the  culture  and  disease  of  the  po- 
tato, and  bo  saved  to  the  country  and  the  world  his 
valuable  experiments  and  observations  on  them.  He 
also  put  two  hundred  varieties  of  potatoes  he  had  pro- 
duced in  the  hands  of  three  gentlemen  for  testing  and 
selection,  and  he  perfected  several  varieties  which  are 
universally  known  as  good  keeping.  The  Garnet  Chili 
was  estimated  more  than  twelve  years  ago.  to  have 
saved  $2,000,000,  and  had  he  chosen  to  have  made 
money  out  of  it,  he  might  have  accumulated  wealth. 
3 lis  motive,  however,  was  philanthropic  and  not  mer- 
cenary. His  sales  did  not  cover  his  expenses,  and, 
supplemented  by  premiums  from  the  State  Agricultural 
Society,  they  left  him,  as  a  careful  examination  of  his 
mts  showed,  a  balance  of  $50.  While  no  merce- 
nary motive  actuated  Mr.  Goodrich  in  his  efforts  to 
save  tin-  most  valuable  of  esculents,  neither  was  it  the 
mere  love  of  science  This  undoubtedly  influe 
him,  but  paramount  to  it  was  his  love  of  man,  and 
through  him.  his  love  of  God  Philanthropy  and  reli- 
gion inspired  and  Incited  him. 

And  neither  was  he 'engrossed  with  his  investigations 
into  the  nature  of  the  lestroj  ii 

ful  a  vegetable,  and  of  the  means  of  curing  it  or  avert- 
ing it.  Divine  truth  and  the  church  of  the  living 
Grod,  interested  and  engaged  him.     His  conversation 

was  always  fresh  about  them,  and  he  kept  up  with  their 

elopment  and  pn  Clergymen  were  his  com- 

panions, and  Christian  assemblies  his  resort,  and  lie 
wrote  a  work  on  pastoral  theology  with  the  thought  of 


560  PRESBYTERIAN  ISM  IN  THE 

submitting  it  to  the  press.  He  preached  regularly 
also,  holding  the  chaplaincy  of  the  Lunatic  Asylum 
for  nineteen  years  and  habitually  and  fully  meeting  its 
requisitions  upon  him.  Principle  was  his  law  in  every 
sphere,  and  the  rigidness  with  which  he  carried  it  out 
concealed  his  kindness  and  geniality,  and  made  the  im- 
pression of  severity.  He  never  left  home  except  on 
secular  or  ecclesiastical  business,  indulged  in  no  recrea- 
tions and  amusements,  and  was  stern  in  maintaining 
and  exacting  what  he  considered  the  proprieties  and 
separateness  from  the  world  of  the  real  Christian  life. 

In  1830,  Mr.  (rood rich  was  married  to  Margaret, 
daughter  of  William  G.  Tracy,  Esq.,  of  Whitesboro, 
a  superior  woman  and  Christian,  the  best  and  most 
loved  of  mothers  and  a  devoted  wife.  She  was  spared 
to  him  until  a  short  time  before  his  death  :  and  of  their 
four  children,  all  daughters,  two  only  are  now  living. 

Life  with  him  was.  for  many  years,  a  struggle  for 
life,  and  greatly  worn  toward  the  last,  he  seemed  too 
frail  to  exist.  But  his  mind  never  paused.  Exercised 
on  different  themes,  he  conversed  about  them  with  al- 
most unabated  vivacity,  and  was  sure  to  introduce 
them  at  the  calls  of  intelligent  visitors.  His  "  lips  dis- 
pensed knowledge  "  in  the  family  and  in  the  circles  of 
friends.  Seldom  playful,  and  never  humorous,  he  was 
always  and  everywhere  instructive.  The  chamber  of 
death  made  little  change  in  his  spirit  and  demeanor, 
lb'  maintained,  of  course,  his  habitual  seriousness,  and 
showed  no  unusual  agitation.  Piety  with  him  was  a 
dee})  seated  conviction  and  experience,  and  kept  him  in 
perfeel  peace  when  dying. 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  561 

William  Henby  Goodrich,  1).  D.,  was  Lorn  in 
New  Haven,  Ct.,  January  19, 1828, — the  son  of  Chauncey 
A.  Goodrich,  D.  D.,  Professor  of  Oratory  and  Rhetoric 
in  Yale  College,  and  prominent  and  conspicuous  in  its 
history, — grandson,  on  his  father's  side,  of  Elizur  Good- 
rich, a  lawyer  of  distinction,  and  for  some  time  Pro- 
r  of  Law  in  Yale  College,  and,  on  his  mother's 
side,  of  Xoah  Webster,  whose  dictionary  lias  borne  his 
name  and  fame  coextensively  with  the  English  language. 
— and  great-grandson  of  Dr.  Elizur  Goodrich,  of  high 
repute  in  his  day  as  an  astronomer  and  educator,  as 
well  as  a  clergyman.  Prepared  for  Yale  in  the  schools 
of  his  nativecity  under  the  special  tuition  of  his  father, 
he  passed  through  the  course  in  a  high  rank  of  schol- 
arship, and  entered  the  New  Haven  Theological  Semi- 
nary and  finished  the  curriculum  there.  He  filled  a 
tutorship  in  his  alma  mater,  and  making  a  visit  of  se^ 
eral  months  to  Europe,  he  accepted  the  charge  of  the 
church  at  Bristol.  Ct.,  in  1850,  and  afterwards  of  the 
church  a1  Binghamton,  and  finally  of  the  First  Church 
at  Cleveland,  Ohio,  first  as  co-pastor  with  Rev.  Dr.  S. 
C.  Aik'en.  and  from  1861,  when  Dr.  Aiken  took  an 
emeritus  relation,  as  sole  past  r  until  his  death,  July 
11,1874 

He  grew  up  in  a  spiritual  atmosphere  and  drew  in 
religion  al  everj  breath.  His  father  is  well  known  as 
among  the  most  fervent  and  faithful  and  exemplary 
and  attractive  of  Christians,  but  surpassed,  perhaps,  by 
the  saintliness  and  devotedness  and  loveliness  of  his 
mother,  and  the  outside  circle  into  which  their  associa 

fcions  brought   him.  were  pervaded    by  a  kindred   spirit. 

His  literary  training  was  also  careful  and  thorough, 
conducted  under  the  ovo  and  largeh  under  the  direc- 


562  PRESBYTERIANISU  IN  THE 

tionof  his  gifted  and  assiduous  father, — and  the  depart- 
ment so  long  and  ably  filled  by  his  father,  and  in  which 
he  combined  gracefulness  and  effectiveness  in  the  art  of 
writing  and  speaking,  and  the  holy  ardor  with  which 
he  labored  for  the  souls  of  his  students,  and  his  general 
kindness  and  geniality,  titted  him  inimitably  to  train 
his  son  for  the  pulpit  and  the  parish. 

There  was  nothing  remarkable  in  Dr.  Goodrich's  nat- 
ural endo rc  ments.  His  person  was  ordinarily  comely  and 
his  manners  easy  and  gentlemanly,  both  refined  by  fa- 
miliarity with  the  best  society.  He  had  a  ready  insight 
into  men  and  tact  in  dealing  with  them  and  in  adapting 
himself  to  occasions,  and  an  affability  and  a  degree  of 
humor  which  made  him  an  agreeable  companion  in  all 
situations  and  circumstances.  His  mind  was  clear  and 
solid  and  strong,  well  disciplined  and  well  furnished. 
His  preaching  was  thoughtful,  instructive  and  impress- 
ive, but  never  brilliant,  or  profound.  Every  sentence 
was  correctly  and  tastefully  formed,  and  spoken  with  a 
well  modulated  voice,  particularly  expressive  of  tender 
moods,  and  adapted  to  pathetic  passages,  and  in  com- 
fort and  consolation  its  tones  were  peculiarly  soothing. 

His  views  were  moderate,  but  open  to  correction,, and 
ready  for  true  progression, — never  extreme  and  reck- 
less, and  yet  not  timid  and  dilatory.  He  embraced 
New  England  theology,  without  rejecting  what  is  com- 
patible with  it  in  New  Haven  theology,  recognizing  the 
innate  and  entire  depravity  of  the  human  heart,  the 
universality  and  endless  desert  of  human  guilt,  the 
obligation  to  holiness,  the  propitiation  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  and  tin1  indispcnsableness  of  regeneration 
bytbe  Holy  Ghost  in  order  to  salvation.     Never  a  par- 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  563 

tisan,  Qor  a  stickler  for  externals,  experience  satisfied 
him  of  the  superior  excellence  of  Presbyterianism,  and 
he  came  to  prefer  it  to  Congregationalism,  in  which  he 
had  been  brought  up. 

His  prime  quality  was  disclosed  in  the  parish.  His 
agreeableness  in  the  homes  of  his  people  and  in  inter- 
course with  every  class  and  age,  his  tender  sympathy, 
his  warm-hearted  benevolence,  his  skill  as  a  spiritual 
counsellor,  introduced  him  into  all  hearts,  and  made 
them  receptive  of  his  teachings  and  pliant  to  his  efforts. 
The  congregation  and  church  more  than  doubled  during 
his  ministry  in  Cleveland,  and  probably  attained  to  a 
like  rate  of  progress  in  Binghamton  and  Bristol,  and 
only  once  in  a  period  of  ten  years  did  he  administer  the 
Lord's  Supper,  at  Cleveland,  without  admitting  new 
guests  to  the  table.  He  was  also  an  administrator. 
1  nder  his  management  of  them,  the  affairs  of  the  soci- 
ety greatly  improved,  the  congregation  and  the  church 
were  a f filiated  and  consolidated  ami  their  enterprise  and 
liberality  greatly  developed. 

And  though  principally  devoted  to  the  people  cone 
mitted  to  his  can1,  he  was  mindful  of  the  surrounding 
community  and  active  for  it.  and  spoke  cordially  and 
labored  vigorously  for  public  institutions  and  in  public 
movements.  He  was  busy  and  prominent  in  ecclesias- 
tical matters,  participating  in  the  proceedings  of  OUT 
Judicatories  and  in  the  measures  of  our  denomination 
as  zealously  as  in  the  proceedings  of  his  Re8S10n  and 
in  measure-   for  his  parish. 

Still  wider  was  the  range  h  i  took.     He  looked  over 

the  State  and  the  country,  and  while  aiding  every  cause 

within  his  legitimate  reach,  lie  natural] v addressed  him- 


f)$4:  PRESBYTEMANISM  IN  THE 

self  most  to  general  education,  and  schools  and  acade- 
mies and  colleges  acknowledged  their  indebtedness  to 
him. 

And  nothing  could  bound  his  aims  and  endeavors 
short  of  the  limits  of  the  globe.  He  prayed  and  labor- 
ed and  gave  for  the  redemption  of  the  race,  joining  his 
brethren  in  their  exertions  for  it  and  stimulating  his 
people  to  the  fulfilment  of  their  part. 

And  no  thought  of  compensation,  and  indeed,  no 
need  of  it,  incited  and  sustained  his  activity.  Partly 
by  inheritance  and  partly  by  his  own  financiering,  he 
came  into  the  possession  of  a  large  estate,  and  never 
diverted  from  his  ministry  for  attention  to  it,  he  held 
it  as  a  steward  of  the  Lord,  and  freely  dispensed  it  for 
charity  and  religion. 

We  might  think  it  easy  to  conceive  the  grief  of  a 
people  at  their  separation  from  such  a  pastor, — but  the 
tale  of  it  by  the  people  of  Binghamton  when  he  was 
only  removed  from  them  to  another  congregation,  tells 
us  how  far  short  of  the  facts  our  fancy  falls,  and  when 
his  death  took  him  from  the  people  of  Cleveland,  there 
was  a  poignancy  in  it  that  even  wailing  only  partially 
expresses.  July  11,  1874,  Dr.  Goodrich  departed  this 
life,  at  Hotel  Eichemont  in  the  city  of  Lausanne. 
Switzerland,  and  so  closed  the  sixteenth  year  of  his 
pastorate  at  Cleveland,  (the  duties  of  the  last  two 
years  of  it  being  performed  by  Rev.  H.  C.  Haydn, 
co-pastor,) — the  twenty-fourth  year  of  his  ministry,. 
and  the  fifty-first  year  of  his  age.  His  remains,  at 
his  own  request,  were  brought  to  the  Cleveland 
Cemetery,  and  lie  buried  in  the  midst  of  his  con- 
gregation.    He   spent   two   years    wandering   through 


SYNOD  OF  CENT  HAL  NEW   YORK.  565 

Switzerland  and  the  south  of  France  and  north  of  Italy 
in  an  unavailing  search  for  health.  Despairing  of  re- 
covery abroad,  and  anxious  to  return  to  his  home  and 
to  die  among  his  kindred  and  friends,  he  engaged  pas- 
sage for  the  United  States  in  June.  1872,  but  by  the 
urgent  advice  of  his  physician  in  Paris,  he  turned  back 
to  Switzerland.  Gaining  nothing  there,  again  he  en- 
gaged a  passage  for  August, — but  death  intervened, 
and  he  yielded  to  it  without  a  murmur  or  a  sigh. 

It  would  be  vain  to  attempt  to  describe  the  sorrow 
of  his  bereaved  people.  The  city  and  his  former  pa- 
rishioners and  his  brethren  in  the  ministry  and  the 
whole  church  sympathized  with  them.  It  was  a  wide- 
spread loss,  everywhere  deeply  felt  and  lamented. 

Asahel  Grant.  M.  D.,  the  Nestorian  missionary, 
was  born  in  Marshal,  Oneida  county,  August  17,  1807. 
He  studied  medicine  in  early  life,  and  marrying  at  the 
age  of  twenty,  he  opened  an  office  at  Braintrim,  Wyo- 
ming county,  Pa  Losing  his  wife  four  years  after,  he 
removed  to  Utiea,  where  h<'  acquired  a  large  and  lucra- 
tive practice,  and  was  an  exemplary,  active  and  useful 
Christian,  and  a  valuable  ruling  elder  in  the  Firsl 
Presbyterian  Church.  The  meeting  of  the  American 
Board,  1834,  in  this  city,  greatly  inflamed  his  ardor  for 
Foreign  Missions,  and  he  offered  himself  for  the  work. 

and  Was  Commissioned  bj    his  request   for  the   Nestorian 

field.  Accompanied  by  his  second  wife.  Judith  La 
throp  Campbell,  b£ sailed  from  Boston,  Ma\  II.  1835 
and  on  the  27th  of  October,  arrived  at  Oroomiah,  his 

designated  station.      The  district  is  the  Persian  frontier 

in  the  direction  of  the  Turkish   Empire.     The  people 


566  PRESBYTERIA.NISM  IN  THE 

for  whom  his  labors  were  designed  formed  the  scattered 
"  remnant  of  a  church  that  once  disputed  with  Rome  the 
spiritual  dominion  of  half  the  world."  At  this  time, 
they  had  shrunk  from  the  people  of  "  twenty-five  me- 
tropolitan provinces  to  a  small  sect,"  allowed  to  exist 
by  Mohammedan  tolerance,  but  peeled  by  exaction  and 
pursued  by  persecution.  Dr.  Justin  Perkins  preceded 
Dr.  Grant,  and  Mr.  Merrick  followed  him.  A  school 
was  immediately  opened  and  operations  rapidly  exten- 
ded and  in  every  direction.  In  1839,  Dr.  Grant  visited 
the  almost  inaccessible  region  in  which  the  Nestorian 
Patriarch,  Mar  Shimon,  resided.  Here,  on  the  rugged 
hills  of  Koordistan  and  within  its  deep  ravines,  "  the 
Waldenses  of  the  East,  the  Protestants  of  Asia"  dwelt, 
Christians  who  had  preserved,  with  few  corruptions,  an 
apostolic  faith.  The  difficulties  and  dangers  of  the 
trip  made  it  foolhardy  to  ordinary  eyes,  but  did  not 
daunt  the  zealous  missionary,  and  he  set  out  on  it  with 
the  promise  from  the  Patriarch  of  a  guard  through  the 
Koord  villages.  His  fame  as  a  physician  had  gone  be- 
fore him,  and  often  saved  his  life  and  secured  him  favors 
and  help.  For  live  weeks  he  journeyed  there,  taking 
the  hardest  fare  and  suffering  the  greatest  fatigue,  as 
well  as  encountering  peril ;  and  obtaining  the  informa- 
tion he  desired,  and  encouraged  by  it  to  expect  success 
in  an  enterprise  there,  he  came  back  to  his  station. 
Soon  after,  1841,  the  death  of  Mrs.  Grant  and  the  break- 
ing down  of  his  own  health  rendered  a  return  to  the 
United  States  an  unavoidable  nece^ty.  His  report  to 
the  Board  determined  it  to  establish  a  mission  in  the 
mountains,  and  in  April,  1841,  he  went  back  to  inau- 
gurate; it.  In  1842,  lie  made  a  tour,  accompanied  by 
the  Patriarch,  Mai-  Shimon,  to  the  villages  and  sections 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  567 

of  the  region,  and  selecting  Asliita  as  the  headquarters 
and  centre.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Laurie,  April,  1843,  opened 
a  school  there  and  started  a  mission.  Soon  after,  Dr. 
Grant  learned  that  the  Pasha  of  Mosul  was  forming  an 
alliance  with  the  Koords  for  the  subjugation  of  the 
mountain  Nestorians,  who  had  always  been  indepen- 
dent. Dr.  Grant  strove  in  vain  to  induce  the  infatuated 
people  and  their  Patriarch  either  to  make  terms  with 
the  Turks,  and  so  vanquish  the  Koords  or  secure  protec- 
tion against  them,  or  to  make  an  alliance  with  the  Per- 
sians and  so  conquer  both  Koords  and  Turks.  A 
shocking  masssacre  ensued.  The  dead  bodies  of  the 
murdered  Nestorians  filled  the  valleys  and  choked  the 
mountain  streams.  For  a  time  the  mission  buildings 
were  left  untouched,  but  in  the  end  they  too  were  de- 
stroyed, and  the  missionaries  fled  for  their  lives.  Es- 
caping to  Mosul,  Dr.  Grant  gave  himself  up  to  the  re- 
lief of  the  poor  fugitives  who  crowded  the  city,  and 
there  his  health  rapidly  failed,  and  on  the  25th  of  April 
lie  died. 

Devotedncss  to  missions  was  the  Inspiration  of  this 
missionary's  zeal,  but  it  was  quickened,  without  doubt, 
by  the  conviction  he  formed  that  these  Nestorians  were 
the  lost  ten  tribes.  And  devotedness  to  missions  was 
only  one  of  the  forms  which  his  passion  for  usefulness 
put  on.  Doing  good  was  the  aspiration  of  his  soul  and 
the  aim  of  his  Life.  Tiny  came  out  before  the  lN.'M 
meeting  of  the  American  Board  at  [Jtica  Bis  habit 
ual  course  before  disclosed  them.  Little  circumstances 
reveal  a  man  even  more  clearly  than  great  occasions. 
In  glancing  over  the  records  of  the  First  Church  Sun 
<la\  Bchool,  (Jtica,  I  have  been  struck  with  the  frequency 


568  PRESBYTER1ANISM  IN  THE 

of  the  entry:  "Dr.  Grant  was  present  to-day/'  His 
medical  practice  foi bad  his  teaching  a  class,  but  he  often 
ran  into  the  school  to  encourage  teachers  in  their  labor 
of  love,  and  to  incite  scholars  to  improve  their  instruc- 
tions. 

The  wife  who  shared  his  missionary  service  and  sac- 
rifice with  Dr.  Grant,  was  too  remarkable  a  woman  to 
be  passed  over  in  any  account  of  him.  A  wild  little 
girl  of  the  family  name  of  Lathrop,  she  was  adopted 
as  a  daughter  by  Hon.  "William  Campbell,  of  Cherry  Val- 
ley, Surveyor  General  of  the  State,  and  took  her  foster 
fathers  name.  She  grew  up  to  be  a  maiden  of  vivacity 
still,but  of  the  most  feminine  propriety  of  demeanor,  of 
the  firmest  and  highest  principle,  of  the  most  cultured 
and  best  stored  mind,  exceedingly  attractive,  and  of  devo- 
ted piety.  She  understood  Latin,  Greek.  French  and 
other  European  languages,  and  acquired  old  and  modern 
Syriac  and  Persian.  Kev.  John  G.  Hall  relates  an  in- 
cident which  illustrates  her  character  in  youth  : 

During  the  winter  of  1830-31,  at  about  her  seventeenth  year  of 
age,  Judith  Campbell  had  been  a  school  girl  in  Brooklyn.  The 
early  spring  vacation  coming  on,  she  set  out  on  her  homeward 
journey  up  the  Hudson,  in  a  stage-sleigh  ;  for,  in  those  days,  no 
railroad  stretched  from  New  York  and  Albany.  Two,  thre<\ 
sometimes  more,  days  were  requisite  for  the  journey  ;  and  one 
route  followed  up  the  west  side  of  the  river. 

Hoboken  was  the  point  of  departure  ;  and  among  the  passen- 
gers, on  the  occasion  in  view,  was  Grant  Thorburn,  who  tells  the 
story.  Judith  seems  to  have  been  the  only  lady  present.  On  her 
right  sat  "a  respectable  farmer  from  Ohio,  a  man  of  sound  prin- 
ciples ;"  on  her  left,  "a  young  man,  about  twenty  two,  and  in  the 
vigor  of  life  and  health,  and  whiskered  to  the  mouth  and  eyes." 

In  the  current  of  conversation,  always  so  sure  to  come  in  a 
stage  coach,  the  farmer  spoke  of  the  great  benefits  of  the  church 
and  ministers  in  general,  but  especially  in  the  new  settlements 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  569 

whence  he  came.  Then  the  whiskered  young  man  put  in.  He 
had  been  to  college,  and  spoke  with  both  emphasis  and  authority 
It  was  all  "priest-craft,"  he  said;  "  witch-craft;"  "  stories  invented 
to  scare  the  ignorant;"  and  death,  at  most,  was  but  "a  leap  in  the 
dark."     But,  ah!  that  leap  in  the  dark! 

Somewhere  between  Newburgh  and  Catskill,  the  sleighing 
proving  very  bad,  the  drunken  driver  took  to  the  river,  which 
was  flooded  by  a  twelve  hours'  rain,  so  that  the  water  stood  two 
feet  deep  on  the  ice;  and  there  through  so  treacherous  a  sea,  risk- 
ing the  fatal  air-hole.-,  which  no  doubt  were  too  plenty,  and  heed- 
ing no  word  of  importunity  from  the  passengers,  this  reckless  Jehu, 
though  himself  half  blinded  by  the  sleet  and  snow,  urged  bis 
horses  onward  at  a  furious  rate,  fearing  as  he  said,  "  neither  death 
nor  the  devil." 

Inside,  while  all  were  alarmed  and  in  a  very  just  anxiety,  ticu 
of  the  company  especially  drew  to  themselves  the  marked  atten- 
tion of  the  rest,  viz.:  the  whiskered  young  man,  who  "  trembled 
in  every  limb,"  and  sat  in  dismay;  and  the  young  maiden  men- 
tioned, who  took  from  her  basket  a  little  red  book  and  read  a  min- 
ute, then  moved  her  lips  and  lifted  her  eyes  upward,  as  in  prayer. 
and  sat,  during  the  remainder  of  the  perilous  ride,  a  model  of 
composure.  Safe  on  terra  firmu  once  more,  and  stopping  at  an 
inn  for  a  meal,  Mr.  Thorbnrn  solicited  a  sight  of  the  book  and 
the  "  /•"  ;  and  found  the  latter  to  be,  Ps.  cxxv  ,  2'.  "  As  the  mmiii- 
are  round  about  Jerusalem,  BO  is  the  Lord  round  about  bis 
from  henceforth  even  foi 
.  bat  leap  in  the  dark,"  says  Mr.  Thorbnrn,  "  took  the  3 
man  by  surprise;  be  irai  likei  ne  without  hope;  while tbe maiden 
placed  her  foot  firmly  on  the  rock  of  Bges,  and  with  her  hand 
took  a  grasp  firmly  on  tb<  then  bade  the  waxes  roll,  nor 

!  their  idle  whirl." 

Traveling,  a  few  j  ritb  the  late  Samuel  Campbell, 

Merry  Valley,  once  a  lawyer  in   this  city,  and   who  was 
a  cousin  of  Judith's,  [  alluded  to  tbe  occurrence.     He  told  m< 

lie  himself  waione  of  the  identical  party;  that  Judith  came  up 
in  his  care;   and  that  the  "  whl  ;ng  man*  I  fully 

to  tbe  picture  drawn  <>f  him.    On  the  land,  be  •  oked, 

tippled  and  swaggered;  bnt  on  the  ice  be  waatl  of  the 

company,  through  his  cowardice  and  terror.  qnent 

B    in    true    keeping     with     this    exhibition    Of     it  i  !!)>*•  I  f 


I 


570  PRESBYTEMAN1SM  IN  THE 

Though  born  to  every  worldly  advantage,  and  bred  to  college  and 
the  law,  yet  he  attained  to  no  respectability  of  life,  and  at  last 
disappeared  altogether  from  sight.  The  last  that  my  informant 
saw  or  heard  of  him,  was  his  coming  into  his  office  to  obtain  a 
small  loan.  The  money  never  returned.  "  So,"  said  he,  "  as 
Shakespeare  says,  '  By  lending  my  friend  my  purse,  I  lost  my 
purse  and  my  friend  too/  " 

Mrs.  Grant  shared  all  her  husband's  enthusiasm  for 
the  Nestorians,  and  was  scarcely  less  useful  to  them 
and  as  much  beloved  by  them.  When  she  died,  the 
Bishops  begged  leave  to  bear  her  to  her  burial. 

Rev.  David  Downs  Gregory  left  among  his  papers 
the  following  notes  of  his  life  and  ministry : 

Born  at  Sand  Lake,  Rensselaer  Co.,  N.  YM  Aug.  27,  1802.  Left 
my  father's  house  in  Sand  Lake  to  live  with  (his  brother)  Henry 
M.  Gregory  (merchant)  as  clerk,  in  September,  1 8 1 1> .  In  1821, 
found  peace  in  God  through  Christ  Jesus,  and  made  profession  of 
religion  in  the  Presbyterian  Church  of  Deposit,  Elisha  Wise,  pas- 
tor. In  1822  commenced  preparation  for  college  in  Oxford  Acad- 
emy, and  finished  at  Greeneville  Academy,  Greene  Co.,  X.  Y. 
Entered  Williams  College,  Mass.,  under  the  presidency  of  Dr. 
Griffin,  in  1823.  Graduated  in  1827.  Spoke  on  the  character  of 
Gordon  Hall,  at  Commencement.  Entered  Auburn  Theological 
Seminary,  fall  of  1827.  In  the  winter  of  1829  went  to  Andover, 
on  account  of  the  illness  of  Dr.  Richards,  and  from  a  long  cher- 
ished desire  to  enjoy  the  advantages  of  Andover,  where  were 
Ebenezer  Porter,  M.  Stuart,  L.  Woods,  R.  Emerson,  and  C.  E. 
Stowe.  Licensed  to  preach  at  Boston,  May,  1830,  by  the  North 
Suffolk  Association  of  Congregational  Ministers  (Drs.  Pond,  Fay, 
Wisner,  Adams).  Preached  my  first  sermon  at  Portsmouth,  New 
Hampshire,  Pleasant  St.  Church,  June,  1830,  where  I  preached 
during  summer  vacation  of  one  month.  Commenced  preaching 
in  Ripley,  Chautauqua  Co.,  New  York,  October,  1830.  Was  mar- 
ried to  Sarah  Salome  Rhoades,  daughter  of  Joseph  Rhoades,  of 
Skaneateles,  N.  Y..  Nov,  29th,  1830.  Preached  in  Ripley  six 
months,  during  which  time  there  were  one  hundred  hopeful  con- 
versions,— sixty-seven  added  to  the  church  in  one  day.     In  May, 


SYXOD  OF  VENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  571 

1831,  commenced  preaching  in  Fredonia;  remained  there  two 
year?,  and  received  ninety-six  persons  to  the  church.  Was  or- 
dained to  preach,  by  Buffalo  Presbytery,  at  Fredonia,  in  1831; 
Sylvester  Eaton  preached  the  sermon.  Received  a  call  to  take 
charge  of  the  West  field  Presbyterian  Church,  Chautauqua  Co., 
1833,  and  was  installed  over  that  church  same  year.  Sylvester 
Eaton  preached  the  installation  sermon.  Remained  in  Westfield 
till  September,  1S38,  during  which  time  three  revivals  of  religion 
prevailed.  The  church  consisted  of  a  hundred  members  when  I 
was  installed,  and  three  hundred  and  forty-four,  when  I  left  it. 
Seventy  six  persons  were  added  on  a  single  Sabbath. 

While  residing  at  Westfield,  my  wife  commenced  coughing, 
which  was  soon  ascertained  to  be  pulmonary  and  fatal.  On  her 
account,  we  left  the  lake  shore,  and  in  September,  1838,  I  took 
the  pastoral  charge  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  of  Binghamton, 
Uroome  Co.,  N.  Y.,  where  I  was  installed  pastor;  Rev.  Jonathan 
Rowland  preached  the  sermon.  Remained  there  nine  years  and 
one  month,  during  which  time  two  revivals  prevailed.  At  one 
time  seventy  three  were  added  to  the  church,  and  two  hundred 
and  fifty-one  persons  during  my  pastorate.  In  1817,  at  the  solicit- 
ation of  my  brother  Edgar  M.  Gregory,  and  with  a  desire  to  pro- 
long the  life  of  my  wife,  who  was  now  thought  to  be  in  the  last 
stages  of  consumption,  I  removed  to  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  and  took 
charge  of  the  Tabernacle  Presbyterian  Church;  Dr.  Lyman  Beech- 
er  preached  the  installation  sermon,  and  J.  C.  White  and  Samuel 
Fisher  gave  the  charges.  With  this  people  I  preached  the  . 
five  years;  no  revival  of  a  general  character,  yet  one  hundred  and 
twenty-nine  wen-  added  to  the  church,  and  a  debt  of  nearly 
en  thousand  dollars  was  nearly  liquidated.  My  wife  Sarah,  died 
Jan.  11,  1851.  Henry  M.  Gregory  died  also,  the  year  previous,  In 
my  house. 

Jan.  89,  1853,  I  married  Elisabeth,  daughter  of  Rev.  Richard 

Bury,  Snd    in    October,  1852,  left   Cincinnati,  and    the    Tabernacle 

Church,  because  the  climate  was  uncongenial  to  my  health,  and 
because  I  felt  myself  unadspted  to  building  up  s  church  so  new 
and  feeble. 

Oct.  15,  1852,  took  charge  of  the  North-Fast  Church,  Peni 
vania.    In  two  and  a  quarter  y<  risited  with  a  revival.   The 

church   built    for  me  a    parsonage,  and  increased    in  numbers  and 

efficiency. 


572  rRESBYTERlANISM  IN  THE 

In  March,  1858,  by  invitation  of  tlie  Tabernacle  Church,  Cincin- 
nati, resumed  the  pastoral  charge  of  the  church,  on  the  ground  of 
encouragement  from  Dr.  Fisher,  that  the  Second  Church  of  Cin- 
cinnati would  aid  the  Tabernacle  Church  in  liquidating  a  ten 
thousand  dollar  debt.  They  failed,  and  at  my  advice  the  Taber- 
nacle Church  edifice  was  sold  to  the  Fifth  Presbyterian  Church, 
and  the  church  was  merged  in  the  Fifth  Church  and  other  church- 
es of  the  city. 

Oct.  2G,  1859,  was  installed  pastor  of  Prattsburgh  Congregational 
Church,  by  the  Presbytery  of  Bath.  Kev.  George  Spaulding 
preached,  Jeremiah  Woodruff  charged  the  pastor,  and  Stephen 
Vorhis  the  people. 

Mr.  Gregory  remained  at  Prattsburgh  seven  years: 
and  then  retired  to  Binghamton  to  rest;  "but  continued 
the  work  of  his  choice  and  delight  in  places  in  this  vicin- 
ity almost  uninterruptedly,  and  for  some  time  immedi- 
ately before  his  death,  he  statedly  supplied  Appalachiu. 

The  following  extracts  from  a  sermon  delivered  at 
Mr.  Gregory's  funeral  (Sept.  19,  1874)  by  Rev.  J.  P. 
Gulliver,  D.  1).,  First  Church,  Binghamton,  portray  his 
ministry  and  his  character : 

*  *  *  *  *  *  * 

Our  brother  was  not  a  man  who  had  blunted  his  susceptibilities, 
or  blinded  his  vision,  by  any  skepticisms  concerning  the  retribu- 
tions of  eternity.  He  believed  in  his  inmost  soul,  that  at  God's 
bar,  every  work  of  man  shall  be  brought  into  judgment,  whether 
it  be  good,  or  whether  it  be  evil.  He  expected  no  exemption 
from  that  scrutiny,  except  as  he  was  covered  with  the  robe  of 
Christ's  righteousness.     But  that  protection  he  had. 

******* 

He  expressed  regret  that  he  had  not  been  more  laborious. 
Faithful  as  his  ministry  had  been,  he  was  full  of  regret  that  he 
could  not  have  been  the  means  of  bringing  more  sons  home  to 
glory.  But  this  regret  was  for  the  sake  of  others,  not  for  his  own 
Bake.  It  was  benevolence,  not  anxiety  that  found  expression  in 
his  last  words,  as  he  looked  back  from  the  portals  of  eternity,  to 
throw  one  final  glance  over  the  past.     For  the  present,  he  only 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  578 

wished  we  should  pray  that  he  might  be  delivered  from  agonizing 
pain.  "  Is  that  wrong,"  said  he,  "  when  I  am  suffering  so  much  ?" 
When  reminded  in  reply,  of  our  Saviour's  prayer,  "  If  it  be  possi- 
ble, let  this  cup  pass  from  me;  nevertheless  not  as  I  will,  but  as 
thou  wilt;"  he  said  "Yes,  surely  I  may  offer  His  prayer."  But 
beyond  the  immediate  present,  all  was  peace. 

It  is  with  a  real  satisfaction—a  satisfaction  we  very  seldom  can 
feel  when  speaking  of  the  dead, — that  I  turn  to  the  history  of  the 
grace  of  God  in  the  character  of  our  departed  friend  and  father. 
For  seventy-two  years  he  has  walked  before  his  fellow  men,  much 
of  that  period  as  a  professed  Christian,  and  for  nearly  half  a  cen- 
tury as  a  minister  of  Christ.  If  we  were  looking  into  the  history  of 
a  Christian  merchant,  our  first  inquiry  would  be  concerning  his 
integrity  and  truthfulness  and  uprightness;  for  in  the  pursuit  of 
wealth,  these  are  the  virtues  which  are  most  severely  taxed,  and 
which  oftenest  fail  to  respond  to  the  test  of  Christian  discipleship. 
But  the  temptation  to  which  the  clergy  are  exposed,  is  to  set  far 
too  high  a  value  upon  reputation  and  influence;  and  with  some — 
an  inferior  order  of  minds, — upon  mere  popularity.  The  most 
decisive  tests  of  a  genuine  Christian  character,  as  applied  to  a 
clergyman,  would  be  the  inquiries,  Will  he  brave  odium  and  ob- 
loquy? Is  he  faithful  to  his  Master,  and  the  truth,  whether  men 
will  hear  or  forbear?  With  this  faithfulness,  is  he  kind  and 
courteous  and  loving,— in  meekness  instructing  th<  Be  that  oppose 
themselves?     This  is  the  test  of  B  true  Christian  hero. 

ft  *  *  TV  *  *  * 

There  is  another  test  which  most  will  endure;  and  yet  all  who 
have  had  much  experience, Among  ministers,  know  that  many  fail 
of  a  satisfactory  response.  It  is  the  test  which  detects  jealousy 
of  a  superior  in  talents,  or  reputation,  or  position;— a  jealousy 

which  often  betrays  itself  in  acts  and  words  which  are  not  noble, 
and  even  sometimes  Mich  as  arc  dishonorable  and  untruthful. 
*  *■  *  •:;•  *  -x- 

With  what  a  |  rrfect  satisfaction,  with    what  a  glow  of  soul    can 

we  turn  with  these  tests  in  our  hands,  to  the  record  of  ourde* 
parted  brother!     He  was  so  genuine,  so  true,  so  frank,  so  free 

from  all    envy  and    malice,  so  anxious    for   th< 

perfectly  truthful '      Whal   word  of  malice,  or  of  guile,  I  ver  broke 

from  those  lipsv  what   thought  of  mi.  blackened  the 


574  PRESBYTERIANISM  W  THE 

currents  of  that  great  heart  ?  *  *  *  *  Dear  honored  father, 
the  veteran  of  our  hosts, — the  chariot  of  Israel  and  the  horseman 
thereof, — we  thank  God  not  for  thy  devoutness  alone,  and  thy 
humble  piety;  but  we  thank  him  for  a  manliness  that  never 
stooped;  for  a  calm,  strong  courage  that  never  flinched  when 
duty  called;  for  a  love  which  could  never  discern  in  a  brother,  a 
rival. 

For  forty-fcur  years  Mr.Gregory  has  been  a  preacher  of  the  gospel  ; 
clear,  strong,  convincing,  impressive,  in  all  his  public  ministrations. 
For  ten  years  he  was  the  pastor  of  this  church.  By  the  unani- 
mous testimony  of  all  who  have  known  his  ministry,  he  watched 
for  souls,  as  one  that  must  give  account.  No  man  has  ever  sur- 
passed him,  in  the  intense  anxiety  which  he  manifested  down  to 
the  very  day  of  his  death,  to  warn  every  one,  night  and  day,  with 
tears.  As  wisely  as  he  could,  and  as  skillfully,  he  labored  contin- 
ually to  bring  men  personally  to  Christ.  The  success  which 
attended  his  efforts  was  very  unusual.  Both  here,  and  during  his 
two  pastorates  in  Cincinnati,  and  in  all  his  various  fields  of  labor. 
the  number  who  look  to  him  as  their  spiritual  father,  is  very 
large. 

A  recent  sermon  which  he  preached  in  Buffalo,  in  commemora- 
tion of  the  life  and  work  of  Rev.  Dr.  Samuel  G.  Orton,  is  full  of 
this  one  theme— success  in  saving  men.  It  was  his  ruling  passion, 
and  God  abundantly  blessed  him. 

Mr.  Gregory  not  only  enjoyed  preaching,  but  had  a 
passion  for  it,  kindled  and  burning,  not  from  anything 
in  it  considered  merely  as  an  exercise  and  a  pleasure, 
but  from  an  intense  anxiety  for  souls.  "Oh !  I  want 
to  preach!''  he  exclaimed,  lifting  up  his  hands,  a  few 
days  before  he  died.  Speaking  of  one  of  the  revivals 
under  him  at  Binghamton,  he  once  remarked  to  a 
friend  that  he  "  blew  the  gospel  trumpet,"  to  use  his 
own  words,  every  night  for  three  consecutive  months. 

J  lis  earnest  feeling  most  distinguished  his  sermons. 
They  were  full  of  matter,  but  it  was  their  spirit  that 
signalized  them,  and  this  sent  forth  the  truth  they 
contained   burning   hot  and  with  resistless   force.     A 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  575 

show  of  labor  in  the  delivery  of  them  added  to  their 
effect,  and  his  obvious  solicitude  for  his  hearers,  cover- 
ed over  a  little  ungracefulness  of  manner  and  homeli- 
liness  of  face.  You  could  notice  nothing  in  him  while 
listening  to  him  but  the  intensenes.^  with  which  he 
aimed  at  instructing  and  impressing  and  moving  those 
whom  he  addressed.  The  result  was  natural,  it  might 
be  said.  Conversions  followed,  as  the  record  already 
recited  denotes, — the  whole  number  during  his  ministry 
approaching  a  thousand. 

Quite  as  successful  was  he  in  the  no  less  important 
part  of  building  up  saints.  One  who  probably  heard 
him  oftener  than  any  one  else,  remarks:  '"I  never  list- 
ened to  sermons  more  conducive  to  Christian  edifica- 
tion." A  fellow  clergyman,  who  well  understood  what 
good  preaching  was,  once  remarked  to  him,  "I  wish  .1 
could  sit  under  your  sermons  and  receive  the  gospel 
from  your  lips." 

In  the  parish,  he  surpassed  himself  in  the  pulpit. 
1  si  derate  and  delicate,  while  he  gave  no  offence  and 
created  no  prejudice,  he  was  always  about  hia  M 
business.  While  hedid  not  drag  in  the  subject  of  reli- 
gion ••ln-ad  and  shoulders,"  he  faithfully  brought  it  in, 
and  often  displayed  great  tact  in  this.     "  II<-  bad  I 

ting  me,"  said  a  brother  clergyman, "  during  a  peri- 
od of  religious  interest  On  our  way  home  one  even- 
ing we  dropped  in  I  .  the 
church,  and  to  our  surprise  found  ourselves  in  a  party 
of  gay  young  people.  Mr.  Gregory  engaged  them  at 
once  in  entertaini  ersation,  and  in  a  few  minutes 
had  them  about  him  singing  "  Et  •  A  -."  and  at 
the  close  be  said  in  a  manner  thai  drew  all  hearts  to 


5 7  ()  PRESB  YTERIA  NISM  IN  THE 

him,  "Now  let  us  have  a  word  of  prayer,  and  then  we 
will  go  home."  He  was  skillful,  likewise,  in  reconciling 
alienated  members  of  a  church  or  congregation,  and 
often  among  others,  as  well  as  among  his  own  people, 
he  composed  animosities  and  healed  divisions.  His 
business  gift  and  training  also  kept  in  play  and  he  ad- 
mirably managed  the  temporalities  of  a  parish,  and 
sometimes  lent  a  hand  to  neighboring  societies.  Conk- 
lin  and  Union  are  considerably  indebted  to  him  for 
their  fine  church  edifices,  and  he  was  counsellor  and 
helper  in  founding  the  West  Church,  Binghamton. 

His  final  illness  produced  excruciating  pain,  which 
was  borne  with  unbroken  patience.  Just  before  he 
died,  he  repeated  several  times,  "I  am  oppressed  with 
an  extraordinary  grief."  What  it  was  he  did  not  ex- 
plain, but  when  asked  if  he  had  doubts  of  his  accept- 
ance by  God,  he  quickly  replied,  "No,  I  never  had  any." 
He  then  added,  "Lord  Jesus,  I  give  myself  and  all  I 
have,  every  tiring,  every  thing,  up  to  thee!  I  keep  back 
nothing !" 

Mr.  Gregory  sprang  from  a  good  stock.  His  brother, 
Gen.  Gregory,  is  known  for  his  gallantry,  and  also  for 
his  religion  in  the  late  civil  war.  He  was  quite  as 
devoted  to  the  spiritual  welfare  of  the  army,  as  to  its 
military  discipline  and  exploiting,  and  after  the  restora- 
tion of  peace,  he  was  prominent,  as  a  ruling  elder,  in  the 
Judicatories  of  the  church,  and  active  in  its  enterprises. 

Amos  DELOS  Gridlkv,  1).  D.,  son  of  Deacon  Orrin 
(Iridley  and  brother  of  Rev.  Wayne  Gridley,  was  born 
at  Clinton,  and  graduated  at  Hamilton  College  in  1840, 
and  from    Auburn   Seminary  in  1848.     He  prosecuted 


SYNOJ)  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  TORE.  577 

further  theological  study  and  ministerial  preparation  at 
Andover,  and  was  ordained  June  11,  1846,  and  in  1847 
settled  at  Waterville,  N.  Y.  His  health  proved  too 
frail  for  a  pastorate,  and  resigning  his  charge  in  1850, 
he  retired  to  Clinton,  and  spent  the  remainder  of  his 
life  in  miscellaneous  but  valuable  services.  The  fol- 
lowing article,  recently  published,  happily  describes  his 
character  and  narrates  his  history  : 

Beginning  life  with  great  advantages  of  family  and  culture,  his 
sky  seemed  at  one  time  to  be  suddenly  darkened  by  the  alarming 
development  of  constitutional  disease.  In  the  discouraging  cir- 
cumstances which  then  multiplied  around  him  he  felt  himself  re- 
quired first  to  decline  an  inviting  professorship  at  Amherst  Col 
lege,  and  then  to  lay  down  the  active  duties  of  the  ministry 
among  a  people  who  loved  him  as  he  loved  them.  Cut  off  from 
his  chosen  field,  for  success  in  which  he  had  already  displayed 
unmistakable  qualifications,  he  resigned  himself  cheerfully  to 
the  new  paths,  and  by  courageous  seeking  and  patient  self-disci- 
pline found  a  way  to  create  around  him  a  new  sphere  of  light  and 
influence,  in  which  he  passed  a  dignified  and  honored  life,  in  the 
character  of  a  Christian  gentleman  of  leisure,  systematically  and 
usefully  at  work. 

Bis  open  home  stood  brighl  and  beautiful,  like  a  thing  of  bless- 
ing for  his  family  and  friends,  and  for  the  pretty  town  in  which 
it  lay.  He  found  time  to  set  on  foot  among  his  neighbors  and 
carry  out  more  than  one  project  of  public  and  private  utility,  lie 
was  an  efficienl  and  enthusiastic  member  of  the  Heard  ofTrui 

of    Bamil ton  College,   his    alma    mater.      He   made  himself  useful 

in  promoting  the  general  and  local  Interests  of  the  Presbyterian 

Church,  to  which  he  was  attached  with  a  devotion  which,  though 

warm,  wasnol  narrow.     Be  wrote  well,  and  with  extreme  gi 
as  those  already  know  who  have  read   the  contributions  of      \ 
D.  («."  to  the  periodicals  and  journals,  and  to  the  columns  of  The 
Independent,  f«»r  which  he  wrote  occasionally,  and  of  which  ho 
had  been  a  regular  reader  since  the  establishment  of  the  journal, 
His  most  considerable  literary  work  Is  tin-  history  of  the  town  of 

Kirkland,  with  which  his  family  had  been  connected  from  it 
Z. 


578  PRESBYTER1ANISM  IN  THE 

tlement,  and  whose  quiet  annals  are  invested  in  his  pages  with  a 
great  and  sometimes  poetic  interest. 

Fundamentally,  both  in  character  and  conviction,  a  Puritan,  he 
possessed,  at  the  same  time,  the  elements  of  a  genuine  art-nature; 
and  while  it  was  the  former  which  sent  him  to  the  ministry  and 
taught  him  to  love  it,  it  was  the  latter  which  came  into  promi- 
nence and  active  use  in  the  life  into  which  he  was  drawn.  He 
delighted  in  all  works  of  art,  with  which,  according  to  his 
strength  and  opportunities,  he  formed  a  critical  acquaintance. 
He  was  himself  an  amateur  painter  of  no  mean  skill.  He  de- 
lighted in  the  culture  of  trees  and  plants, — a  taste  which  showed 
itself  not  only  in  the  rare  beauty  of  his  home,  but  accrued  to  the 
advantage  of  the  college  campus  and  of  the  village  of  Clinton. 
One  of  the  first  of  our  living  botanists  once  remarked  to  the 
writer  of  these  lines  that  he  had  nowhere  seen  such  a  collection 
of  the  various  kinds  of  elms  from  all  parts  of  the  earth  as  around 
this  home. 

When  he  spoke  in  public,  which  he  did  rarely,  it  was  with  a 
ripe  force  and  neatness  of  expression  peculiarly  his  own.  He  was 
affable  and  courteous;  but  there  was  also  in  his  bearing,  and  in 
his  tall,  handsome  figure  a  certain  impression  of  taciturnity  and 
reserve,  which  showed  that  he  knew  his  rights  and  had  in  control 
a  naturally  fiery  disposition. 

His  house  was  the  center  of  a  free  and  simple  hospitality,  to 
which  the  best  in  the  land  resorted,  and  where  he  was  himself  as 
happy  among  his  friends  as  he  wished  them  to  be  with  him.  The 
domestics  employed  in  the  house  and  on  the  place  held  him  in 
loving  reverence,  and  the  writer  of  these  lines  has  more  than 
once  seen  the  work  people  of  the  neighborhood  cross  the  street 
for  no  other  purpose  than  to  salute  their  honored  friend.  While 
his  relatives  and  intimate  associates  will  each  have  his  own  grief 
in  his  death,  the  community  in  which  he  lived  mourn  in  his  de- 
cease what  is  in  all  lands  and  in  all  times  the  heaviest  of 
losses — the  loss  of  an  active  Christian  gentleman. 

Rev.  Wayne  Gkiuley,  oldest  son  of  Deaeon  Orrin 
Gridley,  long  a  Trustee  of  Hamilton  College,  and  bro- 
ther of  Dr.  A.  D.  Gridley,  was  born  in    Clinton,    No- 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  579 

vember  12,  1811,  and  graduated  from  Hamilton  Col- 
lege, with  the  valedictory,  in  1886,  and  from  Andover 
Seminary  in  1839.  He  was  ordained  as  a  foreign  mis- 
sionary, but  disappointed  in  his  purpose  to  live  and 
labor  abroad,  he  accepted  an  invitation  to  the  church 
in  his  native-  place  and  continued  with  it  for  five  years, 
and  until  181-5,  when  failing  health  compelled  him  to 
retire.  His  pastorate  here, — the  only  one  he  under- 
took,—  was  eminently  prosperous,  one  hundred  and  two 
were  added  to  the  church,  and  universally  beloved,  he 
united  the  people  through  attachment  to  himself.  A 
year  spent  in  foreign  travel  recuperated  him  somewhat, 
but  returning  to  Clinton,  he  died  there  November  23, 
1846,  after  a  year's  further  struggle  with  pulmonary 
disease.  II is  wife  was  the  daughter  of  Dr.  Seth  Has- 
tings, of  Clinton,  and  one  daughter  was  their  only 
child. 


Kev.  David  Narrower  has  been  already  spoken  of 
as  a  strong-minded,  clear-heade  I  Scotchman  or  Scotch- 
Irishman,  of  vigorous  health  and  active  temperament, 
a  popular  preacher  and  a  wide  itinerant  He  contin- 
ued m  connection  with  the  Northern  Associate  Presby- 
tery, by  which  body  he  was  ordained,  until  his  later 
ministry,  and  took  commissions  from  the  Columbia  and 
Berkshire  and  the  Connecticut  M  issionarj  Societies,  and 
successfully  and  acceptably  filled  them.  His  first  la- 
bors were  in  Delaware  county,  and  he  was  prominent 
and  active  iii  the  re\  ivals  throughout  that  region  al  the 
beginning  of  the  century.  But  scarcely  any  limits 
bounded  the  field  be  traversed.  He  appeared  every- 
where in  Eastern,  Southern,  Western  and  Central  New 


580  PRESB  YTFAtlA NIS.M  IN  THE 

York.  Occasionally  lie  made  short  settlements,  as  at 
Franklin,  beginning  with  1800,  and  at  Holland  Patent 
from  1814  to  1821.  The  last  twenty  years  of  his  life, 
which  was  spared  to  a  good  old  age,  he  spent  with  a 
son  in  Steuben  county,  preaching  here  and  there  in  the 
region  about.  T  met  him  occasionally  during  that 
period.  Fire  enough  burned  in  him  for  the  fervor  of 
youth,  and  he  was  as  set  in  his  opinions  and  as  open  in 
their  expression  as  from  birth-right  he  could  have  been 
expected  to  be.  Just  then  old  school  theology  was  his 
hobby  and  the  old  school  church  his  idol,  though  as  a 
son  of  Associate  Presbyterianism,  hardly  in  the  line  of 
his  ecclesiastical  parentage.  My  most  distinct  remem- 
brance of  him,  I  confess,  is  as  a  polemic,  but  the  sin- 
cerity of  his  piety  and  his  devotedness  to  the  gospel 
were  too  conspicuous  during  his  active  ministry  to  be 
ever  questioned. 

Rev.  Seth  Parsons  Meravin  Hastings  was  born  in 
Clinton,  April  13,  1813,  and  graduated  from  Hamilton 
College  in  1833,  and  from  Auburn  Seminary  in  1837. 
He  married  Elizabeth  B.  Buttrick,  of  his  native  town, 
October  1,  1838,  and  was  settled  at  Vernon  Centre 
from  1839  to  1841,— at  Moravia  from  1S42  to  1845 — 
at  Summer  Hill  from  1845  to  1848, — at  Pompey  Hill 
from  1848  to  1855, — and  in  the  Reformed  (Dutch) 
Churches  of  Ohittenango  from  1855  to  1859,  Coxsackie 
from  I860  to  1870,  and  Accord,  Ulster  county,  from 
1870  to  his  death,  February  24,  1876.  "Mr.  Hastings 
belonged  to  a  family  of  good  and  true  men — men  of 
the  choicest  New  England  stock — men  who  believed  in 
the  blessedness  of  large  families,  whose  children  were 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NKW  YORK.  581 

as  arrows  in  the  hand  of  a  mighty  man,  and  whose 
happiness  was  in  proportion  as  they  had  the  quiver  full 
of  them.  His  father  was  one  of  six  brave  brothers 
from  Connecticut,  of  whom  Gerrit  Smitli  once  said, 
"  Three  of  them  were  albinos,  and  all  of  them  were 
honest."  One  of  them  composed  Sabbath  hymns  that 
have  done  more  to  prepare  sinners  for  heaven  than  a 
dozen  most  eloquent  preachers.  The  most  strik ine- 
qualities of  Rev.  Seth  P.  M.  Hastings  were  modest  v. 
common  sense,  cheerfulness,  fidelity.  He  was  always 
content  wherever  the  Lord  of  the  harvest  gave  him 
work  to  do.  And  he  did  his  work  with  joyous  confi- 
dence in  the fruitf illness  of  the  truth  faithfully  preached. 
He  never  sought  the  chief  seat,  bill  once  placed  there. 
he  filled  it  with  dignity  and  tact.  He  was  remarkably 
large-hearted,  wide-minded,  free  from  cant  and  censori- 
ousness,  with  a  habit  of  seeing  the  best  side  of  men 
and  things.  Bis  perceptions  were  clear,  his  tastes  re- 
lined,  his  judgment  trustworthy.  Bis  fixed  aversion 
from  attempting  brilliant  things  saved  him  from  saving 
or  doing  foolish   thin 

Rev.  Gideon  Bawley  was  born  in  what  is  now 
Bridgeport,  Ct,  Novembers,  1727.  Graduating  from 
Yale  in  1749,  he  opened  a  school  for  Indians  at  Stock- 
brige,  Mass.,  and  educated  a  number  of  the  Mohawks, 
Oneidas  and  Tuscaroraa  In  May,  L753,  he  traveled 
through  the  unbroken  wilderness  to  Windsor,  and  with 

Timoth\     Woodbridge,    planted  a  mission    there.      The 

French  broke  this  up,  and  after  his  return  to  Boston, 
ho  went  to  Crown  Poinl  as  army  Chaplain.  April  10, 
1758,  he  was  settled  at  Marsh  pee,  and  remained  there 

until  his  death,  ( tatober  8,  l  V(,V. 


582  PRESBTTERIANISii  IN  THE 

Phillip  Courtlandt  Hay,  D.  D.,  was  a  son  of 
Major  Samuel  Hay,  a  gallant  and  noted  officer  in  our 
army  of  the  Kevolution,  and  of  Jane  (Price)  Hay,  born 
at  Newark,  N.  J.,  July  25,  1793.  He  took  his  first 
degree  in  the  arts  with  honor,  at  the  College  of  New 
Jersey,  Princeton,  and  at  once  began  the  study  of 
law  in  the  office  of  Elias  Yan  Arsdale,  Esq.,  of  New- 
ark. Hopefully  converted  when  nearly  ready  for  ad- 
mission to  the  Bar,  he  turned  towards  the  gospel  minis- 
istry,  and  prepared  for  it  under  the  instructions  of  his 
pastor,  Rev.  Dr.  James  Richards.  He  was  licensed  to 
preach  at  Patterson,  by  the  Presbytery  of  Jersey, 
October,  1820,  and  soon  after  ordained  and  set  over  the 
church  at  Mendham.  The  Second  Church  of  his  na- 
tive city  being  vacated  by  the  removal  of  Rev.  Dr. 
Griffin  to  the  Presidency  of  Williams  College,  he  was 
called  to  fill  it,  and  continued  eleven  years  in  it,  and 
until  broken  health  separated  him  from  it.  A  short 
respite  from  responsibility  and  exertion  induced  him  to 
think  that  it  was  safe  to  resume  them,  and  he  accepted 
an  invitation  to  Geneva,  N.  Y.  His  health  again  gave 
way  under  a  laborious  and  prosperous  ministry  of  sev- 
eral years,  and  Dr.  Hay  sought  recovery  and  useful- 
ness at  the  head  of  a  family  school.  His  qualifications 
for  the  pastorate  were  too  eminent  to  prevent  his  being 
left  out  of  it,  and  appealed  to  by  the  church  of  Oswego, 
to  "  come  over  and  help"  it,  he  went  there.  But  he 
could  not  sustain  the  charge,  and  in  1855  returned  to 
the  home  of  his  childhood  and  youth,  and  to  the  field 
of  his  early  ministry,  and  resting  from  all  effort  for  a 
time,  he  undertook  the  management  of  a  classical 
school,  and   while  thus  employed,  disease  of  the  heart 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  583 

suddenly  ended  his  labors  on  earth,  December  27,  1860, 
and  opened  his  way  to  the  "  rest  which  remaineth  to 
the  people  of  God.'' 

While  strictly  attentive  to  the  local  churches  com- 
mitted to  his  charge,  Dr.  Hay's  activity  of  tempera- 
ment and  concern  for  the  Bedeemer's  kingdom  engaged 
him  in  constant  service  for  the  church  at  large.  Every 
good  enterprise  for  the  public  commanded  his  support, 
and  habitually  in  his  place  in  ecclesiastical  bodies,  he 
was  always  fulfilling  some  stated  or  occasional  part  in 
them,  and  in  1849  filled  the  Moderator's  chair  in  the 
General  Assembly. 

Dr.  Hay  conld  not  be  pronounced  eminently  intellec- 
tual or  scholarly,  and  yet  he  was  highly  respectable  in 
both  regards,  and  by  an  exceedingly  genial  disposition 
and  agreeable  manners,  he  won  universal  esteem.  The 
Lord  did  not  leave  him  without  witness  in  his  sacred 
vocation.  Continuous  results  followed  it,  and  fre- 
quently large  ingatherings.  He  was'particulary  happy 
in  his  domestic  relations.  Losing  Mary  W.  Poe,  his 
first  wife,  he  obtained  another  in  Elizabeth  Condit,  both 
of  New  Jersey.  I  was  favored  so  much  as  to  have  an 
acquaintance;  with  the  latter,  and  speak  the  feeling  of 
all  who  knew  her  when  I  say  that  she  seemed  almost 
more  than  human  in  the  loveliness  <>f  her  disposition, 
appearance  anil  bearing,  and  well  nigh  perfect  in  the 
conduct  of  her  life 

Rev.  Asa  Theodore  Hopkins,  D.  D.,  son  of  Aaa  and 
Abigail  (Burnbam)  Hopkins,  was  bornal  Bartford,  Ct, 
July  25,  1 605.     IK- lost  bis  father  when  but  six  months 

old,  and  in   1810  was   taken  by  his   mother  t<>  Wethers 


584  PRESBYTER1AN1SM  IN  THE 

field,  where  and  at  Hartford  and  Amherst,  he  prepared 
for  Yale  College,  and  graduated  from  it  in  1826,  dis- 
tinguished for  brilliance  of  genius  and  gifts  for  oratory, 
rather  than  for  studiousness  and  scholarship.  He  then 
went  to  Ithaca,  and  for  more  than  two  years  was  a  mem- 
ber of  Dr.  Wm.  Wisner's  family,  teaching  and  conducting 
a  weekly  newspaper  part  of  his  time,  but  giving  most  of 
it  to  theological  study.  June  19,  1628,  he  was  licensed 
by  the  Cayuga  Presb}rtery,  and  in  February  following 
was  married  to  a  daughter  of  Asa  Wisner,  of  Elmira, 
and  neice  of  his  host  and  theological  instructor.  He 
preached  a  few  Sundays  at  Deep  Cut,  near  St.  Cathar- 
ines, Canada,  and  in  Hartford,  Ct.,  and  some  of 'the 
neighboring  towns,  and  supplied  the  pulpit  of  the  Sec- 
ond Church,  Albany,  while  the  Pastor,  Dr.  John  Ches- 
ter, was  in  Philadelphia  suffering  his  last  sickness* 
After  Dr.  Chester's  death,  January,  1829,  he  was  chosen 
his  successor,  but  shrunk  from  the  responsibility  and 
declined  to  assume  it.  He  then  accepted  a  call  to  Paw- 
tucket,  R  I.,  and  was  ordained  and  installed  there 
August  5,  1829.  At  the  close  of  two  or  three  years  he 
relinquished  the  charge,  and  supplied  the  pulpit  of 
Essex  St,  Church,  Boston,  while  Dr.  Green,  the  pastor, 
was  absent  in  Europe.  Leaving  Boston,  he  entered 
on  the  charge  of  the  Bleecker  St.  Church,  Utica,  July, 
1883,  and  remained  until  July,  1835,  when  he  went  to 
Brooklyn  to  preach  to  the  First  Presbyterian  Church 
there,  Dr.  Carroll,  the  pastor,  being  kept  out  of  the  pul- 
pit by  fatal  illness.  February  17,  1836,  he  took  the 
charge  of  the  first  Church,  Buffalo,  and  kept  it  until 
his  death,  November  27,  1847.  Dr.  Hopkin's  ministry 
in  Buffalo  was  much  broken  by  illness,  but  this  did  not 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  585 

interrupt  his  success,  nor  weaken  the  attachment  of  his 
people.  Twelve  hundred  were  added  to  the  church 
during  his  twelve  years  connection  with  it,  and  its  in- 
terests of  every  description  were  greatly  promoted.  It 
was  his  great  misfortune  to  be  laid  aside  from  his  work 
so  much,  and  perhaps  his  greater  misfortune  to  perform 
it  with  facility  when  well,  and  to  be  able  to  avail  him- 
self of  other  men's  labors.  Whatever  his  infirmities, 
there  was  a  singular  fascination  about  him — a  child- 
like character  that  invited  charity  of  judgment,  con- 
stancy of  help  and  tender  affection.  There  was  noth- 
ing of  the  soldier  in  him,  and  yet  he  fought  hard  when 
cornered,  and  it  so  happened  that  for  a  time  he  could 
not  shun  conflict. 

In  May,  1846,  he  sailed  for  Europe,  accompanied  by 
his  wife,  who  was  an  invalid  also.  He  attended  the 
meeting  of  the  Evangelical  Alliance,  and  as  a  delegate, 
took  part  in  its  proceedings;  and  then  the  travels  of 
the  two  were  extended  over  Great  Britain  and  the  Con- 
tinent. Mrs.  Hopkins'  rapid  decline  constrained  them 
to  hasten  their  passage  home,  but  a  few  days  before 
they  reached  port  she  < lied,  November  Is.  1846.  A 
year  after  1km-  funeral  to  a  day,  November  ~~i,  1847, 
her  husband  was  called  to  follow  in  the  43d  yearof  his 
age  and  the  eighteenth  of  his  ministry,  the  immediate 
messenger  being  apoplexy. 

Rev.  James  C.  Bow,  the  fourth  in  the  succession 
of  pastors  of  tin-  Springfield  Church,  was  ordained  and 
installed  by  the  Otsego  Presbytery,  October  18,  L826. 
His  pastorate  lasted  between  four  and  five  years,  and 
was  peaceful,   hut   not   particularly   prosperous,     Kew 


586  PRESBYTERIAN1SM  IN  THE 

were  added  to  the  church,  and  death  and  removals  took 
many  away.  Dismissed  from  Springfield  with  the  re- 
spect of  the  people  and  the  Presbytery,  he  went  to  St. 
Georges,  Del,  and  became  well  known  in  connection 
with  that  region,  and  many  years  since  finished  his 
labors  and  passed  to  bis  rest  and  reward. 

Rev.  James  B.  Hoyt  was  born  in  Walton.  January 
31, 1794, — the  son" of  Thaddeus  and  Jemima  Hoyt.  He 
passed  through  Yale  College  and  studied  divinity  with 
Dr.  Seth  Williston.  The  Northern  Congregational  As- 
sociation gave  him  license,  and  the  Union  Congrega- 
tional Association  ordained  him.  He  began  his  minis- 
try at  Lisle,  and  continued  it  at  Green,  and  then  was 
installed  over  the  second  church,  Coventry,  where  he 
remained  for  thirty  years,  and  until  his  death,  July  4, 
1862,  from  a  dropsical  affection.  Of  clear  mind  and 
excellent  judgment  and  uniform  engagedness  in  the  work- 
given  him  to  do,  he  was  more  and  more  esteemed  the 
longer  he  was  known.  A  good  preacher  and  an  indus- 
trious pastor,  his  acceptableness  and  usefulness  to  his 
people  were  perpetuated  as  long  as  he  lived,  and  while 
of  a  retiring  disposition,  his  personal  excellence  and  his 
capital  sense  made  him  an  authority  with  his  clerical 
brethren  and  in  ecclesiastical  councils.  Several  of  his 
sermons  were  given  singly  to  the  Press,  and  a  volume 
of  them  also,  entitled  "A  Pastor's  Tribute."  He  mar- 
ried twice:  first,  Emeline  C.  Fenn,  and  then  Eliza  A. 
Phillips,  and  five  of  seven  children  survived  him. 

Ova  Phelps  Hoyt,  1).  1).,  son  of  Ezra  and  Jerusha 
(Phelps)  Hoyt,  was  born  in  New  Haven,  Vt.,  May  26, 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  587 

1800.  Graduating  from  Middlebury  College  in  1821, 
and  from  Andover  Seminary  in  1.824,  he  accepted  a 
call  to  Potsdam  in  lv_!.\  and  was  greatly  blessed  in  his 
labors  there.  Sixty  additions  a  year  were  made  to  the 
church  during  the  five  years  of  his  charge  of  it.  He 
likewise  took  an  active  part  throughout  the  county  in 
the  great  revivals  which  pervaded  it  during  that  period. 
In  1830,  he  accented  the  Central  N.  V.  Agency  of  the 
American  Home  Missionary  Society,  having  his  oflice 
and  home  in  Utica,  and  while  there,  he  also  edited  the 
Western  Recorder  for  a  year  and  a  half.  He  then  went 
to  Old  Cambridge,  Washington  county,  and  remained 
in  charge  of  the  church  there  until  1838,  when  he  took 
the  Cleveland  Agency  of -the  A.  H.  M.  Society,  and 
served  tor  a  time  as  stated  supply  of  the  First  Church  m 
that  city,  a  revival  of  religion  attending  his  labors.  In 
1840  he  became  pastor  of  the  church  in  Kalamazoo,  and 
in  1849  left  it.  strong  and  flourishing,  to  act  as  District 
Secretary  of  the  American  Board  for  Michigan  and 
Northern  Indiana.      He  continued   in  this  office  for  ten 

rs,  and  longing  for  ti.e  pastoral  work,  he  resumed  it 
for  a  (■■■'■  years  in   Elkhart,  la.     Toil  and  activity  now 

m  to  tell  upon  him.  and  be  turned  to  his  native 
New    England.      But    he    had    become  a  western    man, 

and  was  identified  with  western  interests,  and  iii  1863 
he  found  himself  hack  in  Kalamazoo,  and  there  he  died 
from  disease  of  the  heart,  February  1 1.  1866. 
Dr.  Boyl    was  admirably  adapted   to  the   laying 

foundations,  and  the  opening  of  n.-w  countries  and  new 

field.-.     Stirring,  energetic  and  enterprising,  he  could 

run    to  and    fro,  and    l»ns\    himself    here  and    there  and 

lay  hold  of  n<-w  comers  and  new  communities.     With 


588  PRESBYTERIANISM  IN  THE 

a  mind  trained  in  the  schools  and  furnished  with  the 
knowledge  communicated  in  them,  he  could  be  spared 
from  the  study  to  mingle  with  men  and  to  traverse 
the  country.  Holding  comparatively  short  pastorates, 
he  was  eminently  successful  in  them,  and  traveling 
about  to  address  congregations  on  great  causes  and  to 
enlist  them  in  them,  he  always  accomplished  the  objects 
for  which  he  set  out.  He  was  a  public  man  by  his 
constitution,  and  so,  besides  attending  to  his  parishes 
and  his  agencies,  he  was  busy  in  the  affairs  of  his  de- 
nomination and  in  ecclesiastical  bodies.  He  was  absent 
from  his  Synod  and  Presbytery  but  once  in  twenty- 
five  years,  and  then  sickness  kept  him  away.  He  is 
described  as  of  a  "genial  temperament,  free  from  guile, 
and  remarkably  inoffensive  in  his  conduct.  His  con- 
versation was  enlivened  with  sallies  of  wit  and  pleas- 
antry, yet  he  was  never  wanting  in  dignity.  He  was 
gentle  and  courteous  to  all.  His  home  was  the  abode 
of  Christian  hospitality."  "As  a  Christian,  his  piety 
was  not  characterized  by  raptures,  so  much  as  by  uni- 
formity, stability  and  firm  assurance."  When  the  time 
to  die  came,  he  said,  "I  am  ready  to  depart  and  be 
with  Christ,"  and  though  not  impatient  to  leave,  he  said 
to  his  brethren,  "Do  not  pray  that  I  may  be  continued 
very  long." 

Dr.  Hoyt  was  married  twice:  first,  in  1825,  to  Mary 
Clark,  of  Orwell,  Vt,  who  died  in  1855;  and  second,  to 
Mrs.  Kebecca  W.  Sears,  widow  of  Eev.  R  L.  Sears. 
The  latter  and  four  children  of  his  first  wife,  survived, 
him. 

Rev.  John  Humphrey,  born  in  Fairfield,  Ct.,  March 
17, 1816,  was  the  son  of  Heman  Humphrey,  D.  D.,LL.  D., 


SYXOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YOIiK.  589 

When  two  years  old  be  was  removed  to  Pittsfield,  Mass., 
his  father  being  called  to  the  First  Church  there,  and 
six  years  after  that,  in  the  autumn  of  1823,  to  Amherst, 
\)v.  Humphrey  taking  the  presidency  of  the  college 
there.  Here  he  spent  his  childhood  and  early  youth  in 
school  and  academic  studies,  at  the  same  time  enjoying 
athletic  sports,  of  which  he  was  fond  and  in  which  he 
excelled.  He  also  completed  his  collegiate  course  there, 
graduating,  in  1835,  with  an  enviable  name  for  scholar- 
ship and  deportment.  The  next  year  he  was  principal 
of  the  academy  at  Prattsburg,  N.  Y.,  and  acquitted 
himself  so  well  that  the  trustees  and  patrons  found  it 
hard  to  release  him.  In  1836  lie  entered  Andover 
Seminary,  but  in  consequence  of  Prof.  Stuart's  sickness 
and  consequent  inability  to  conduct  his  classes,  Mr. 
Humphrey  spent  1686-37  at  East  Windsor  Seminary. 
lie  then  accepted  a  tutorship  in  his  alma  mater,  and 
kept  it  until  the  latter  part  of  1831),  when  he  again 
went  to  Andover  Seminary.  Graduating  from  there. 
he  followed  William  Bradford  Homer  in  the  pastorship, 
South  Berwick,  Me.,  made  vacant  by  the  lamented 
death  of  this  remarkable  young  minister.  He  remained, 
bowever,  but  a  few  months,  and  then  supplied  a  pulpit 

for  some  time  in  Springfield,  Mass.  October,  1S42,  he 
succeeded  Rev.  Daniel  Crosby  in  the  Winthrop Church, 
( lharlestown,  Mass.  Forthreeor  I  >ur  years  he  preached 
here  with  greal  acceptance,  and  went  in  and  out  among 
the  people;  but  his  constitution  was  Impaired,  and  he 

BOUghl  escape  from  the  Btrain  upon  it  in  repose  at  Pitts- 
field.      So    much    refreshed    did    he    feel,  that    early    in 

L848  he  ventured  on  the  care  *>f  the  First  Church, 
Binghamton,  l»ut  overcome  by  it  he  v 


590  PRESB  YTEIUA  NJSJ1  JN  '1  HE 

a  dismission,  March,  1854.  He  then  consented  to  serve 
as  Professor  of  Rhetoric  in  Hamilton  College  and  as 
pastor  of  the  students  ;  but  before  entering  upon  the 
duties  of  the  place  he  went  to  Europe,  hoping  by  travel 
there,  and  by  the  voyage,  so  to  invigorate  his  health  as 
to  be  fully  equal  to  them.  But  worse  sj^mptoms  ap- 
peared, and  he  hastened  home.  Beaching  Pittsfield  in 
June,  it  was  very  obvious  that  he  was  rapidly  failing, 
and  December  22d  his  decline  was  consummated  by 
death. 

July  2,  1845,  Mr.  Humphrey  joined  in  marriage  with 
Lucy  V.,  daughter  of  William  Henderson,  of  Thomas- 
ton,  Me.  Three  children  were  born  to  them,  one  of 
whom  died  before  the  father. 

Says  Prof.  Harris,  formerly  of  the  Second  Church, 
Pittsfield,  and  afterwards  of  Bangor  and  New  Haven 
Seminaries  : 

I  remember  Mr.  Humphrey,  in  both  our  earlier  and  later  inter- 
course, as  remarkable  for  amenity  of  manners,  gentleness  and  af- 
tectionateness,  sweetness  of  temper,  refinement  and  delicacy  of 
feeling,  scholarly  culture,  and  a  beautiful  harmony  of  mental  de- 
velopment and  moral  character.  He  was  a  man  who  drew  every- 
body's love.  He  occasionally  preached  in  my  pulpit.  His  ser- 
mons always  left  the  impression  of  great  completeness  and  fin- 
ish. There  was  nothing  one  wished  to  alter,  erase  or  add,  and 
they  were  always  purifying  and  elevating  in  their  general  influ- 
ence and  breathing  with  spiritual  life. 

The  latter  months  of  his  long  illness  were  spent  at  his  father's 
house,  in  my  parish!  The  nature  of  his  disease  made  him  inca- 
pable of  much  conversation  or  mental  effort.  He  sat  most  of 
the  time  leaning  his  head  on  a  pillow  on  the  back  of  a  chair  be- 
fore him,  and  in  this  posture,  which  made  his  sufferings  more 
tolerable,  he  wore  away  the  painful  hours,  always  with  a  hopeful 
serenity  and  a  patient  and  loving  submissiveness,  which  revealed 
in  new  lustre  the  beauty  of  his  character.     Two  or  three  days 


1 


SYNOD  OF  VENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  591 

before  his  death,  iu  reply  to  a  remark  respecting  Christ,  he  said 
to  me  with  emphasis,  "  I  do  trust  him."  "  You  have  preached 
Christ  ?"  I  said.  "  Yes  !"  he  replied,  "  would  that  I  had  preached 
him  more,  more!"  And  added,  "The  doctrines  which  I  have 
preached  give  me  comfort  and  strength.  I  wish  I  had  preached 
them  more  faithfully."  He  afterwards  said,  thoughtfully:  "I 
have  no  raptures.  I  have  peace.  I  trust  I  shall  enter  heaven." 
And  so  this  "beloved disciple,"  for  thus  he  was  often  called,  passed 
away  to  his  rest. 

Says  Rev.  Dr.  Wm.  Ives  Buddington  : 

Mr.  Humphrey's  religious  character  appears  to  have  been  a 
silent  and  steady  growth  from  infancy  up,  and  it  is  the  more  en- 
couraging and  instructive  to  the  church  of  (Jod  that  a  character 
beginning  thus  in  the  household  baptism  of  a  Christian  minister, 
should  have  ripened  into  such  beautiful  proportionateness,  and 
borne  the  choicest  fruits  of  Christian  discipleship.  He  could 
never  tell  the  time  of  his  conversion. 

As  a  preacher  he  was  both  attractive  and  impressive, — his  style 
blending,  iu  happy  proportions,  strength  with  beauty,  precision 
of  diction  and  logical  sequence  of  thought  with  the  graces  of  a 
Mowing  rhetoric.  His  manner  in  the  pulpit  was  grave,  yet  ani- 
mated ;  unaffectedly  simple,  but  indicative  of  a  controlled  enthu- 
siasm, and  often  awakening  a  like  emotion  in  the  hearer.  His 
delivery  was  rendered  more  effective  by  the  beaming  light  and 
sweetness  of  his  countenance.  It  was  a  face  expressive  of  high 
and  clear  intelligence,  and  always  radiant  with  kindly  and  cheer- 
ful feeling  ;  but  when  his  mind  glowed  with  the  sacred  themes 
of  the  pulpit,  his  face  became  luminous  as  with  the  light  of  the 
spirit  within. 

His  death  was  thoroughly  natural,  in  keeping  with  his  chaiac 
ter  and  life.      Loving  life,  and  even  longing  for  it,  he  frankh 

thai  if  be  were  left  to  bis  choice  In-  should  choose  to  live  loi 

but  his  supreme  choice  was  to  havr  (iod's  will  done  ;  and  with 
cheerful  hope  he  awaited  the  hist,  having   full  confidence  that  all 

God's  ordering!}  concerning  him  would  prove  infinitely  wise  and 

good.      It  was  the   departure  <>f    the  beloved  disciple,  love  settling 

down  into  the  consciousness  of  eternal  peace.     He  was  likened. 

and  h\   no  forced  comparison,  to  the  apostle  John  ;   it  WSJ  applied 

to  him  frequently  during  his  life,  hut  in  Ins  last  sickness  tii--  re 
semblance  came  out  so  strongly  as  to  force  itself  upon  ei  erj  heart. 


592  PRESB  YTERIA  N1SM  IN  THE 

Rev.  George  Hunter  Hulin,  born  in  Malta,  Sara- 
toga county,  December  23d,  1804,  graduated,  with  dis- 
tinction, from  Union  College,  182G,  and  spent  two 
years,  1828  and  1829,  at  Princeton  Seminary.  Ordain- 
ed in  tlie  Congregational  Church  of  North  Fairfield,  Ct., 
April  24,  1S33,  he  took  charge  of  the  church  at  Cov- 
ington, Me.,  in  1837,  and  in  1839  supplied  the  church 
in  South  Orange,  N.  J.  In  1841  he  was  settled  in  On- 
ondaga Valley,  and  served  Usefully  and  happily  there 
until  1846,  when  he  took  the  editorship  of  the  Religious 
Recorder,  Syracuse,  and  when  that  paper  was  merged  in 
the  K  Y.  Evangelist,  he  filled  a  place  in  the  editorial 
department  until  1856.  From  that  time  he  was  dis- 
abled for  stated  labors,  and  lived  an  invalid  at  Bloom- 
ficld,  N.  J.,  until  December  21,  1872,  when  he  died,  in 
the  68th  year  of  his  age.  Never  rugged,  he  was  inca- 
pable of  accomplishing  the  much  of  which  his  mind 
was  capable,  and  very  modest  and  retiring,  and  enfee- 
bled and  depressed,  he  could  not  make  his  way  to  posi- 
tions which  he  would  have  well  filled,  nor  assert  him- 
self when  withstood  or  displaced.  His  associates  in  the 
ministry  highly  appreciated  his  abilities  and  his  excel- 
lencies. No  complaint,  or  disappointment,  or  discour- 
agement was  expressed  by  him,  and  in  the  excitement 
of  conversation,  his  face  lighted  up  and  beamed  with 
smiles, — but  ordinarily  he  wore  a  downcast,  or  pained 
look,  and  showed  negligence  of  his  appearance.  Both 
his  intellect  and  his  heart  fitted  him  for  large  achieve- 
ments, as  well  as  for  universal  favor,  and  what  he  did, 
c-pccially  with  his  pen,  was  well  done.  His  two  years 
Irving  illness  immediately  before  death,  was  borne  with 
exemplary  resignation  and  Christian  hope.     The  grave 


SY-XOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  o9o 

was  a  refuge  for  him,  and  heaven  his  aspiration  and 
destiny. 

Rev.  IjEVEBETT  II I'll  was  born  in  Bethlehem,  Ct, 
in  1796,  and  graduated  from  Hamilton  College  in  1823, 
with  Drs.  Charles  Hall,  Asa  Mahan  and  Joel  Parker, 
among  his  classmates,  and  from  Auburn  Seminary  in 
1S2G.  He  preached  at  Augusta,  Deposit,  Guilford, 
Watertown,  Angelica,  Deansville  (all  of  N.  Y.),  and  at 
Sandusky,  Ohio,  and  served  as  agent  of  the  A.  B.  C.  R 
M.  and  of  the  Seamen's  Friends  Society.  He  died  of 
cholera  at  Sandusky.  September  3,  1S52.  Of  strong 
mind  and  ardent  temperament,  he  made  himself  felt, 
more  however,  in  the  way  of  propulsion  than  of  attrac- 
tion. Early  in  his  ministerial  career,  he  took  an  active 
part  in  revivals  of  religion,  and  favored  the  stimulating 
and  arousing  methods  then  in  vogue,  and  classed  him- 
self among  new  measure  men  and  radical  reformers. 

le  ..  I  M:i;x  HYDE,  a  native  of  Massachusets  and  an 
alumnus  of  Middlebury  Coll--''.  1812,  and  of  Princeton 
Seminary,  was  stated  supply  in  Sullivan,  and  then  in 
Sauquoit,  and  again  in  Springfield,  and  finally  in  Fair- 
held.  He  afterwards  became  a  teacher  in  Fayetteville. 
He  was  fifth  in  the  succession  of  ministers  al   5] 

held,  "more  <>f   a  scholar  than  preacher,  eminent  in  his 

know  !  the  Hebr«  \  language     His  ministry  was 

brief,  being  only  "lie  year.  I83L      It  was  the  memorable 

period  in  o  ir  American  /ion  when  a  very  general  in- 
terest in  religion  obtained  through  all  the  country — the 

d  of  '  four  days  n  and  pr<  tracn  d  effort 

the  salvation  of  souls,     I'  called  for  the  aid  of 


594  PRESBYTEEIAKISM  IN  THE 

Evangelists  and  neighboring  ministers  to  assist  them  in 
the  preaching  of  the  Word.  Among  them,  Mr.  Hyde  in- 
vited Kev.  Lumand  Wilcox,  who  became  his  successor/' 

Eev.  Lewis  D.  Howell  was  a  native  of  Ohio,  born 
in  1803,  and  a  graduate  from  Cincinnati  College  in 
1823,  and  from  Auburn  Seminary  in  1826.  He  preach- 
ed in  Derby,  Ct,,  from  1830  to  J  836,  and  was  compelled 
by  ill  health  to  break  up  a  pastorate  in  Binghamton, 
after  only  ten  months  continuance  of  it.  He  was  one 
of  the  best  of  men  and  of  Christians,  and,  denied  the 
privilege  of  settling  in  a  parish,  he  made  Western  New 
York  his  circuit  of  travel  as  a  District  Secretary  of  the 
vYmerican  Education  Society,  receiving  a  welcome  in 
every  manse  and  in  every  church,  and  while  gathering 
the  offerings  of  the  people  for  indigent  candidates  for 
the  ministry,  breathing  into  them  a  gentle,  loving 
spirit. 

Eev.  George  Kerr,  LL.  D.,  son  of  Robert  and  Mary 
(Buchanan)  Kerr,  was  born  in  County  Antrim,  Ireland, 
Dec.  18,  1814,  and  came  to  this  country  with  his  pa- 
rents, who  settled  in  Greene  Co.,  N.  Y.  The  son  was 
brought  up  on  a  farm,  and  labored  in  its  cultivation 
from  childhood  to  manhood.  Becoming  hopefully  a 
Christian,  his  love  of  knowledge  and  his  desire  for  an 
education  were  stimulated  to  such  a  passion,  that  he  set. 
out  in  study  with  nothing  but  strong  arms  and  a  strong 
will  to  carry  him  on.  Overcoming  poverty  by  a  pro- 
tracted  and  heroic  struggle,  he  graduated  in  1839  with 
the  first  honors  of  his  class,  at  Williams  College,  and 
completed  a  theological  course  at  I  Jnion  Seminary,  N.  Y. 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  595 

The  Columbia  Presbytery  licensed  him  to  preach  and 
set  him  apart  to  the  ministry,  at  West  Durham.  X.  V.. 
in  1844  His  only  pastorate  was  the  Keformed  (Dutch) 
Church  at  Conesville,  Schoharie  Co.,  N.  Y.,  and  lasted 
but  two  years.  Providence  so  distinctly  pointed  him 
there,  that  he  went  to  the  Principalship  of  the  academy 
at  Franklin,  Delaware  county,  and  there  began  what 
proved  to  be,  his  main  life-work,  and  here,  too,  he  ac- 
complished the  chief  part  of  this.  For  nearly  sixteen 
years  he  lived  and  labored  in  Franklin  and  its  vicinity. 
supplementing  his  teaching  by  almost  constant  preach- 
ing. He  then  filled  for  a  year  and  a  half,  a  professor- 
ship in  the  State  Agricultural  College  at  Ovid,  X.  V.. 
and  left  this  for  the  charge  of  the  Literary  and  Religious 
Institute  at  Watertown,  N.  Y.,  which  he  retained  for 
three  years,  and  then  went  toC  >wn,  X.  Y..  where 

he  had  been  head  of  the  academy  for  two  years,  when 
lie  died  of  inflammation  of  the  lungs,  March  26,  lVi'7. 
leaving  a  widow, — Lucia  M.,  daughter  of  Hon.  Henry 
Hamilton,  of  Schoharie  county,  and  eight  children. 

It  cost  him  a  severe  struggle  to  relinquish  the  pulpit 
for  the  school  room.  Be  greatly  preferred  to  preach, 
and  go  in  and  out  among  the  people  of  a  pastoral  eh. 
but  he  had  too  much  conscience  and  too  genuine  a  zeal 
for  religion  to  decline  teaching,  in  which  he  could 
clearly  achieve  a  greater  usefulness.  Rev.  Charles  K. 
McHarg,  of  ( looperstown,  writ 

Dr.  Kerr  n  of  remmi  kably  vigorous  and  active  intellect, 

of  indomitable  p«  rsistence  snd  of  unceasing  industry .  A  passion 
for  work  iii  all  that  he  undertook,  er  constraining  him. 

Ho  therefore  becami  competent  and  successful  teacher. 

Ho  was  a  \<ry  thorough  classical  scholar,  snd  rarely  gifted  with 
the  power  o!  rousing  the  Intellect  of  his  stndenta  to  enthusiasm 


59  0  PRESBYTEB1AN1SM  IN  THE 

in  that  branch  of  study.  His  recitations  were  lively  and  interest- 
ing scenes,  from  his  manner  of  conducting  them  and  the  onset 
which  he  made  on  intellectual  torpor.  He  was  large-hearted, 
impulsive,  frank,  even  to  blnntness,  sympathetic,  tender  and  ar- 
dent in  feeling.  Numbers  of  Jiis  pupils  found  in  him  a  wise 
counsellor,  a  generous  helper,  and  a  true  and  abiding  friend.  The 
force  of  his  character  and  his  earnest  efforts  to  do  good,  are  felt 
in  the  lives  of  a  large  class  of  educated  persons.  He  was  a  Chris- 
tian of  strong  faith,  glowing  zeal,  and  prompt  sensibility  to  all 
that  concerned  the  cause  of  the  beloved  Master.  He  followed  the 
leadings  of  Providence  in  becoming  a  teacher  when  his  heart 
was  very  much  set  upon  being  a  pastor.  As  he  became  eminent 
in  the  first  vocation,  so  he  had  qualities  to  make  him  eminently 
useful  and  of  wide  influence  in  the  latter.  He  was  a  fine  biblical 
scholar,  an  evangelical  and  scriptural  preacher.  Preaching  gene- 
rally without  notes,  he  was  always  earnest  in  manner,  sometimes 
vehement,  in  style  forcible  rather  than  elegant,  making  clear, 
strong  points,  powerful  in  reasoning,  pathetic  and  close  in  appeal, 
and  not  failing  to  keep  well  the  attention  of  his  hearers, 

No  minister  on  this  field  ever  commanded  a  more 
enviable  testimony  to  him,  than  the  Otsego  Presbytery 
and  the  Synod  of  Susquehannah  paid  to  Dr.  Kerr  in 
their  Minutes  at  his  decease. 

Eev.  David  Kimball  was  born  in  Hopkintown,  N. 
II.,  March  18,  1791,  learned  the  printer's  trade  at  Con- 
cord, N.  II.,  fitted  for  college  at  Phillips  Academy, 
Andover,  graduated  from  Yale  in  1818,  and  from  An* 
dovcr  in  1821.  He  had  charge  of  the  Martinsburg  and 
Lowville  Churches  from  1822  to  1831,  and  of  the 
church  in  Plainfield,  Mass.,  from  1831  to  1835.  He 
^•liied  the  New  Hampshire  Observer,  at  Concord,  N. 
K,  from  1835  to  1840,  and  published  it  from  1840  to 
1843.  From  1845  to  1848,  he  was  a  stated  supply  at 
Hanover  Centre,  N.  Y.,  and  superintendent  of  the 
Dartmouth    Press,   Hanover,  from   1845  to  1866  :  also 


I 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  597 

serving  the  church  in  Weathersfield  Centre,  Vt.,  from 
1851  to  1855  of  this  period,  and  in  1867  he  removed 
to  Rockford,  111. 

Rev.  Reuel  Kimball  was  born  in  Milford,  Mass., 
December  20,  1778.  He  was  the  second  pastor  of  the 
church  in  Lejden,  remaining  there  from  1817  to  1826, 
and  returning  to  the  charge  after  an  interval.  He  was 
also  the  minister  of  Boonville.  and  of  Constableville 
and  Alder  Creek,  serving  the  two  latter  churches  al- 
ternately and  dividing  his  labors  between  them.  The 
church  at  Leyden  was  small  and  feeble  when  he  took 
charge  of  it.  but  he  enlarged  and  strengthened  it  by 
considerable  accessions  to  it,  and  he  likewise  built  up 
the  other  churches  committed  to  his  care. 

Rev.  R  RlCHABD  Kirk  was  born  in  Shoreham,  Vt.. 
in  1815,  and  educated  at  Middlebury  and  Auburn,  be- 
ing a  member  of  the  class  of  1837  at  the  Seminary. 
Ordained  in  18-40,  he  held  pastorates  in  Adams,  Cam- 
den, New  York  Mills  and  Potsdam.  All  the  churches 
under  his  care  were  important  and  prominent,  demand- 
ing the  highest  abilities,  and  he  proved  fully  equal  and 
highly  acceptable  and  useful  to  them.  Of  positiveness 
of  character,  and  born  to  command,  lie  never  lorded  it 
over  God's  heritage,  but  ruled  with  a  smooth  as  well  as 
firm  hand.  N«>  liberties  eoiild  be  taken  with  him  and 
no  imposition  or  tyranny  practiced  upon  him.  Of 
tlemanly  Instincts  and  manners,  intelligent  and  studi 

ons.  filling  the   pulpit    well  anoT  diligent  in  the  parish. 

he  not  onlj  met  the  requirements  of  his  congregations, 
hut  suited  their  tastes  and  won  their  affections.     Bven 


598  PRESB  YTERIA  NISM  IN  THE 

sermon  was  carefully  prepared  and  earnestly  delivered, 
and  familiarizing  himself  with  people  of  every  class 
and  condition  and  age,  lie  rightly  divided  the  word  of 
truth  in  public  and  in  private.  Conversions  and  revi- 
vals followed  his  preaching  and  visiting,  and  large 
numbers  were  added  to  the  churches.  At  the  height  of 
I  lis  usefulness,  symptoms  of  serious  disease  appeared, 
and  its  inroads  proceeded  until  no  alternative  was  left, 
and  Mr.  Kirk  sought  recovery  in  quiet  at  Adams,  and 
in  occasional  journeying.  But  no  expedients  and  rem- 
edies availed  for  his  cure,  or  to  stay  his  disease,  and 
November  15,  1862,  in  the  city  of  New  York,  he 
yielded  to  the  power  of  the  destroyer. 

Mr.  Kirk  married  Mary,  daughter  of  William  Dox- 
tater,  of  Adams,  who.  and  a  son  and  daughter,  are  now 
living. 

"  The  Rev.  Isaac  Lewis,  IX  1).,  was  bom  in  Wilton, 
Conn.,  Janury  1,  1773.  He  was  the  son  of  the  vener- 
able pastor,  of  the  same  name,  who  died  in  Greenwich, 
Conn.,  at  the  age  of  9-4,  and  was  a  twin  brother  of  the 
late  Zechariah  Lewis,  Esq.,  of  Brooklyn.  Graduating 
at  Yale  College  in  1794,  and  ordained  in  179S,  in  1800 
he  was  installed  first  pastor  of  the  Presbyterian  Church 
in  Cooperstown,  IS".  Y..  where  his  Labors  were  greatly 
blessed  for  about  six  years,  as  they  were  afterwards  in 
Goshen,  N".  Y.,  where  he  was  installed  in  1806.  From 
1813  to  1818  he  supplied  the  churches  at  New  Rochellc 
and  West  Farms,  Westchester  county.  In  December, 
L818,  he  was  settled  in  the  Congregational  Church. 
Greenwich,  Conn.,  as  successor  to  his  revered  father, 
where   under  his  ministry  one  hundred  and  ten  souls 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  599 

were  added  to  the  church,  eighty-three  of  them  as  the 
fruits  of  a  blessed  revival  of  religion  in  1822  and  1823. 
In  November,  1828,  he  was  settled  in  Bristol.  E.  I, 
where  his  labors  for  a  time,  in  1812,  had  been  richly 
blessed.  A  discourse  he  preached  here  is  the  tract, 
"  The  Fullness  of  Christ,"  published  by  the  American 
Tract  Society.  In  one  year,  1S30,  seventy-eight  were 
added  to  the  church  as  the  fruits  of  a  wonderful  out- 
pouring of  the  Holy  Spirit  under  his  ministry.  Eis 
labors  during  the  progress  of  this  work  were  most 
abundant  and  self-sacrificing,  the  sermons  he  preached 
for  three  months  averaging  one  each  week  day,  in  ad- 
dition to  three  on  the  Sabbath.  In  these  labors  his 
voice  failed,  causing  him,  in  the  autumn  of  1831,  to 
resign  the  pastoral  charge,  though  he  was  able  to  preach 
occasionally  till  within  a  few  weeks  of  his  death,  which 
occurred  at  the  residence  of  his  daughter,  Mrs.  Smith. 
in  the  city  of  New  York,  September  23,  1854 

Dr.  Lewis  was  a  man  of  deep  Christian  experience. 
The  Bible  was  his  constant  companion ;  his  convictions 
of  sin  were  thorough  and  abiding,  accompanied  by  an 
unshaken  faith  in  the  atonemenl  of  Christ  as  the  only 
ground  of  a  sinner's  bope,  which  grew  stronger  and 

deeper  until  faith  was  losl  in  sight.  and  hope  in  full 
fruition,  [t  was  a  delightful  privilege  to  be  with  him 
in  his  last  hours.  Being  asked  if  his  view-  <>f  redemp 
tion  were  clear,  be  said,  'Yes,  I  thinktheyare.  Chrisl 
is  an  all-sufficienl  Saviour.'  Again,  when  asked  if  ln- 
felt  the  fullness  of  the  atonement  as  applied  to  himself, 

'  Yes,'  he  said.  '  I  can  t rust  in  Christ,  and  in  him  onl\  : 
L  think    I    can    feel  that    la-  is  to  me  my  prophet,  priest 

and  king.'     A  short  time  before  his  death,  as  his  mind 


600  PRESDYTERIANISM  IN  THE 

was  evidently  dwelling  on  his  individual  interest  in 
Christ,  he  looked  up*  and  said,  with  great  emphasis, 
'  He  in  me  and  I  in  him.'  After  a  short  pause,  he  ex- 
claimed, '  I  am  ready,  and  only  waiting ;'  and  in  this 
frame  of  mind  he  passed  from  this  world  to  be  with 
the  Saviour  whom  he  loved  and  delighted  to  serve." 

Dr.  Lewis  was  one  of  the  original  members  of  the 
Presbytery  of  Oneida,  and  its  first  stated  clerk.  He 
was  as  active  in  ecclesiastical  affairs  generally  as  in 
those  of  his  parish,  and  labored  as  zealously  to  extend 
and  establish  the  church  throughout  this  then  new 
country  as  in  his  own  town.  The  neatness  with  which 
he  kept  the  records  is  worthy  of  remark,  and  may  be 
particularly  commended  to  the  notice  of  brethren  now 
transcribing  the  minutes  of  our  different  Judicatories. 

Rev.  Henry  (j.  Ludlow,  born  in  Kinderhook,  Feb. 
11,  1797,  was  the  second  son  of  Daniel  and  Phoebe 
Ludlow,  parents  of  eminently  Christian  character, — the 
father  a  pioneer  in  the  temperance  cause,  adopting  and 
advocating  its  principles  before  any  general  and  organ- 
ized effort  for  them.  .V  maternal  uncle, —  Samuel 
Baldwin,  one  of  the  most  accomplished  scholars  of  his 
day,  took  Henry  when  eight  years  old,  and  made  him 
a  proficient  in  the  languages  and  mathematics  at  an  age 
when  most  boys  are  but  beginning  them.  When  only 
twelve,  he  was  fit  for  college  in  the  classics,  and  read 
almost  any  Latin  or  Greek  author  with  facility.  The 
education  of  the  day  did  not  train  him  in  natural  sci- 
ence, but  his  sharp  observation  measurably  supplied  this 
lack.  He  graduated  from  Columbia  College,  and  was 
admitted  <vl  eundem  by  Yale  in  1830,  when  he  went  to 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  601 

the  charge  of  College  St.  Church,  New  Haven.  Imme- 
diately after  leaving  Columbia,  he  read  law  with  his 
brother,  Judge  Ludlow,  now  of  Oswego,  but  then  of 
Nassau,  Rensselaer  county,  and  admitted  to  the  Bar, 
practiced  in  the  vicinity  for  two  years.  Just  then  the 
revivals  there  under  Dr.  Nettleton  began,  and  in  1S20, 
Mr.  Ludlow  was  one  of  their  many  subjects.  It  cost 
him  no  hesitation  to  decide  what  his  life-work  thence- 
forward should  be.  Closing  his  oflice,  he  first  devoted 
himself  to  a  lay  service  in  places  specially  visited  by 
the  Holy  Spirit,  and  earnestly  and  successfully  labored 
at  Coxsackie,  Newark,  N.  J.,  and  elsewhere.  Spending 
three  years  at  Princeton  Seminary  in  the  class  of  1 821— 
1822,  of  which  Dr.  James  Waddell  Alexander  and 
President  Theodore  Dwight  AVoolsey  were  also  mem- 
bers, he  sought,  but  failed  to  obtain  ordination  from 
the  Presbytery  of  Albany, — the  reason  being  that  when 
asked  if  he  accepted  the  articles  of  the  Westminster 
Confession,  he  answered,  "Substantially."  No  ques- 
tion was  raised  as  to  his  ability  and  disposition,  his 
piety  and  attainments  and  general  qualifications  for  the 
ministry,  but  those  were  days  of  suspicion,  and  "sub- 
stantially" raised  doubts  of  the  candidate's  soundness 
in  the  faith.      The  Presbytery,  it  is  said,  became  regret- 

ful  on  accounl  of  this  fastidiousness,  but  Mi-.  Ludlow, 
in  keeping  with  himself,  never  resented  it,  and  obtained 
the  Laying  on  of  hands  readily  at  New  Haven,  Ct  After 
tilling  Dr.  Patton's  place  in  the  Broome  St.  Chiucb, 
New  York,  during  one  of  the  absences  of  that  gentle- 
man in  Europe,  Mr.  Ludlow  accepted  a  call  to  the 
Spring  St.  Church  in  New  York,  and  for  twelve  years 

fulfilled    it  with  singular  eariicMncs-  and  success.      The 


602  PRESBYTERIANISM  IN  THE 

people  were  poor,  for  the  most  part,  as  was  the  immedi- 
ately surrounding  community,  and  their  temporal  con- 
dition stimulated  the  pastor's  zeal  for  them  and  their 
neighbors.  If  he  did  not  turn  them  into  a  wealthy 
congregation,  he  did  turn  them  into  a  large  and  useful 
congregation.  No  minister  in  the  city  had  so  largo  a 
body  of  valuable  helpers  at  his  command,  and  could 
furnish  so  large  a  number  of  laborers  in  public  enter- 
prises. Addressing  the  City  Tract  Society  at  one  of  its 
anniversaries,  he  said :  "  Silver  and  gold  have  I  none. 
but  such  as  I  have,  give  I  unto  you.  In  my  church 
are  plenty  of  district  visitors."  The  work  he  did  in 
this  church  and  in  its  vicinity,  and  extensively  in  the 
Great  Metropolis,  cannot  be  estimated,  for  only  the 
more  visible  results  can  be  brought  into  the  account. 
They  aggregate  a  very  large  sum,  and  yet  are  only  in- 
timations of  what  must  have  occurred.  In  1837,  Mr. 
Ludlow  went  to  the  Church  St  (now  College)  Church 
in  New  Haven,  Ct,  where  he  remained  for  five  years, 
the  same  buoyant,  cheerful,  affectionate,  fervent,  busy 
minister  he  had  previously  been,  and  working  sponta- 
neously and  earnestly  and  incessantly,  his  achievement,* 
kept  up  to  what  they  had  previously  been.  In  1841, 
he  took  charge  of  the  First  Church,  Poughkeepsie,  and 
held  it  seventeen  years.  It  greatly  flourished  under 
him,  and  grew  to  be  the  largest,  perhaps,  in  the  city, 
and  the  most  fruitful.  A  new  and  elegant  house  of 
worship  was  built,  he  setting  an  example  of  liberality 
in  it  by  contributing  more  towards  it  in  proportion  to 
his  means,  than  any  of  the  people.  .But  he  enjoyed 
laving  the  foundations  and  building  on  them,  rather 
than    entering  into   other  men's   labors,  and   this  drew 


\ 


6  1 W  OD  OF  I  ENTBA  L  WE  W  YOIiK.  603 

him  to  Oswego,  where  for  six  years  he  labored  in  es- 
tablishing and  rearing  the  Congregational  Church.  He 
could  not  and  did  not  confine  himself  to  his  own  con- 
gregation. He  was  busy  for  the  whole  city,  and  won 
hearts  as  widely  as  he  extended  his  labors.  Much  as 
his  own  people  loved  him  and  were  blessed  by  him,  he 
attracted  the  affection  of  his  fellow  citizens  generally, 
and  was  almost  as  much  a  blessing  to  them.  Especi- 
ally was  he  the  succorer  and  encourager  and  comforter 
of  the  poor  and  suffering  and  sorrowful,  dispelling  gloom 
by  his  bright  smiles,  and  drying  up  tears  by  pouring 
tli em  from  his  own  < 

After  laying  down  his  pastorate  in  Oswego,  declining 
strength  forbade  his  resuming  it  elsewhere,  and  his  act- 
ive spirit  was  obliged  to  content  itself  with  occasional 
responsibilities   and    -  until  Sunday.  Aug.    11. 

1867,  when,  at  the  moment  his  old  congregation  and  its 
sister  congregations  were  dismissed  from  their  sanctua- 
ries, he  left  the  flesh  which  had  been  eons. crated  as  his 
tabernacle  on  earth,  and  passed  t.>  mansions  in  the 
skies. 

Mr.  Ludlow  impersonate  late- 

s,  earnestness  and  motion.     His  look  was  sunny  and 
enlivening.     Hie   heart   was  tender,  sympathetic 
loving.     His  spirit  was  active,  and  hi.  body  and  menv 

tant  play.     Too  stirrii 

make  a  philosopher,  Or  a  scholar,  and    too  amiable  ami 

kind  to  make  a  leader,  he  charmed  men  to  the  right 
ainl  good  by  hi.-  attractiveness,  and  disqualifying  them 
for  resistance  to  himself,  he  incited  and  drew  them  t  i 
virtue  and  religion.  Few  men  of  hi.-  day.  and  few  men 
of  any  day,  had  so  much  of  a  mind  [or  the  •  \  the 


6 04  PliESB  YTERIANISM  IN  THE 

Lord,  or  prosecuted  it  so  zealously  aud  successfully. 
And  his  good  temper  and  pleasant  disposition  and  ways 
were  no  less  remarkable.  "Mention  has  already  been  made 
of  the  entire  absence  of  irritability  or  spitefulness  when 
he  was  refused  ordination  by  the  Presbytery  of  Albany. 
His  transfer  from  the  Presbytery  of  St.  Lawrence  to  an 
Association,  quite  as  distinctly  discloses  his  good  feeling 
and  his  pleasant  deportment.  The  following  is  the 
record  of  it:  "Rev.  H.  G.  Ludlow  stated  that  steps  had 
been  taken  to  organize  a  Congregational  Association  in 
this  county ;  that  the  church  of  which  he  is  pastor  is  a 
Congregational  Church,  and  would  join  the  Association. 
Though  lie  regretted  exceedingly  to  leave  the  Presby- 
tery, for  he  dearly  loved  the  brethren,  he  thought  it 
best  for  the  church  and  himself  to  belong  to  the  same 
ecclesiastical  body.  LTpon  the  organization  of  the  As- 
sociation, he  would  like  a  letter  of  dismission  and  rec- 
ommendation to  it."  What  frankness  and  sweetness 
are  displayed  here !  The  case  is  the  more  noticeable 
from  its  contrast  to  the  passage  of  another  minister  from 
this  Presbytery  to  the  Presbytery  of  another  ecclesias- 
tical bod}'. 

Ebenezer  Davenpoet  Maltbie  was  a  descendant, 
on  his  mother's  side,  from  Dr.  John  Davenport,  the  first 
minister  and  one  of  the  principle  founders  of  New  Ha- 
ven, Ct,  He  was  a  son  of  David  Maltbie,  a  leading- 
citizen  of  Stamford,  Ct,,  and  where  he  was  born  Jan. 
20,  1799.  He  removed  with  his  father's  family  to  the 
city  of  New  York,  and  performed  a  mercantile  ap- 
prenticeship there.  In  March,  1817,  he  united  with 
the  Brick  Church,  under  the  care  of  Rev.  Dr.  Gardner 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  605 

Spring,  and  at  twenty-one  years  of  age  he  commenced 
preparing  for  college  under  his  uncle,  Rev.  Ebenezer 
Davenport,  at  his  school  in  Stamford.  lie  entered 
Hamilton  in  1821,  and  graduated  in  1824,  and  spent 
two  years  in  theological  studies  at  Andover,  when  he 
left  to  till  a  tutorship  in  his  alma  mater.  In  Sep- 
tember, 1831,  he  married  Mary  A.,  daughter  of  Pres. 
Davis,  and  in  1832  was  licensed  and  ordained  by  the 
Oneida  Association,  and  set  over  the  church  in  Hamil- 
ton, N.  Y.  His  health  gave  way  under  the  pressure  of 
a  pastorate,  and  uniting  with  the  Presbytery  of  Troy 
in  1841,  he  took  charge  of  the  Hudson  River  Acade- 
my, and  two  years  after  of  a  Literary  Institute  at  Lan- 
singburg,  which  he  retained  until  the  end  of  eight 
year.-,  when  his  health  again  gave  out.  He  afterwards 
made  it  his  home,  first  in  Clinton  and  then  in  Syracuse, 
where  he  died,  lamented  by  the  church  and  the  city. 

The  sketch  of  HENBY  MANDEVILLE,  I).  I).,  given 
in  eonneetion  with  the  account  of  Hamilton  Col! 
may  be  supplemented  by  some  items  not  found  there. 
He  was  of  Huguenot  descent,  and  the  son  of  Ge 
and  Elizabeth  Mandeville,  and  made  a  profession  of  re- 
ligion in  the  16th  year  <>{'  his  age.  lie  graduated  from 
Union  College  in  lb^<'>,  and  studied  theology  at  the 
seminary   of    the    Reformed   (Dutch)    Church     in    New 

Brunswick,  X.  J.     He  was  licensed  to  preach  by  the 

Classis  of  Orange,   and    first    installed    as  pastor  of  the 

Reformed  (Dutch)  Church   at    Shawangunk,   N,    Y.. 

whence  he  was  in\  ited  to  ( iciaw  a,  and  organized  the  R 

formed  (Dutch)  Church  there,  ami  was  called  from  there 

to  I'liea.       lie  left  this  last  pastoral  charge  for  a  profes 


606  PRESB  YTER1A  XJSJI EV  THE 

sorship  in  Hamilton  College;  and  while  filling  it,  lie 
prepared  a  work  on  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans,  the 
Primary  Reader,  the  Second,  Third  and  Fourth  Reader, 
and  a  volume  on  Reading  and  Oratory.  While  attend- 
ing to  the  publication  of  his  books  in  Albany,  he  was 
called  to  the  Fourth  Church  there,  and  was  blessed 
with  a  precious  revival,  and  took  an  active  and  promi- 
nent part  in  the  temperance  reform,  and  served  as  cor- 
responding secretary  of  the  State  society.  He  spent 
the  winter  of  1852-3,  at  Mobile  and  supplied  the  pul- 
pit of  the  Government  Street  Church  there,  and  after- 
wards accepting  pastorship  of  it,  he  labored  with  fidel- 
ity and  success,  cheered  by  several  revivals,  until  Oct. 
2,  1858,  when  the  yellow  fever  bore  him  away.  The 
affliction  to  his  family  and  congregation  was  felt  by  the 
community,  and  the  whole  city  seemed  to  participate  in 
the  obsequies. 

Rev.  Albert  Mandell  was  a  native  of  Aurora,  and 
a  graduate  from  Auburn  Seminary  in  1854.  He  first 
settled  at  Westernville,  and  then  successively  at  Skan- 
eateles,  Newark,  N".  J.,  and  Madison,  1ST.  J.,  remaining 
at  the  latter  place  from  1864  to  1866.  He  afterwards 
lived  for  a  time  at  New  Bedford,  Mass.,  disabled  by  dis- 
ease, and  died  in  his  native  town  in  1870.  He  spent  a 
few  years  at  Albany  as  a  reporter  of  the  proceedings  of 
the  Legislature,  before  turning  towards  the  ministry, 
but  while  acquainting  himself  thus  with  men  and 
things,  and  learning  much  of  value  to  him  in  his  sacred 
profession,  he  did  not  seem  to  have  received  any  taint 
or  perversion.  Indeed,  lie  made  the  impression  of  one 
who  eminently  had  passed  into  the  ministry  from  the 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  607 

purity  and  simplicity  of  early  youth.  Tall  and  fine 
looking,  his  disposition  was  peculiarly  amiable  and  his 
manner  gentle  and  agreeable,  and  with  much  literary 
taste,  his  sermons  were  popular.  A  fatal  malady  was 
obviously  at  work  within  him  from  the  beginning  of 
his  ministry  and,  without  giving  him  the  appearance  of 
great  lassitude,  must  have  enfeebled  him,  and  kept  him 
changing  from  place  to  place  to  escape  from  its  hold. 

Kev.  Henry  Norton  Millerd  was  born  in  Summer 
Hill,  Cayuga  county,  X.  Y.,  Aug.  5, 1830,  and  graduated 
from  Hamilton  College  in  lfc50,  and  from  Auburn  The- 
ological Seminary  in  1863.  He  was  ordained  and  instal- 
led pastor  at  Aurelius  in  1855,  and  remained  there  for 
three  years.  He  then  had  charge  of  the  church  in  Trux- 
ton  for  six  years  and  a  half,  and  after  that  <>('  the  church 
at  Williamstown,  X.  Y.,  for  five  year.-,  lie  then  became 
pastor  of  the  church  at  Holland  Patent,  but  declining 
health  compelled  him  to  resign  after  about  a  year,  and  he 
led  at  Utica until  September  13,  1873,  when  he  died 
at  the  home  of  his  mother  in  Auburn.  His  wife,  Eliz- 
abeth J.  Storrs,  <»f  Baton,  X.  Y..  survives  him,  with 
two  daughters.  The  Lord  Betasealto  his  ministry, 
revivals  of  religion  occurring  in  all  the  places  where  it- 
was  exercised.  Be  was  modest  and  retiring,  quiel  and 
amiable,  conscientious  and  faithful,  and  gained  the  re 
speel  and  affection  and  confidence  of  all  the  congn 
tions  he  served.  He  was  t"<>  unsparing  of  his  strength 
and  thus  exhausted  it.  S  .  devoted  was  he  t<»  the  con- 
jations  over  which   he  was  set.  that   he  never  left 

them  for  a  vacation,  and    he   always    took   his  place  and 

performed  hia  part  in  the  ecclesiastical  bodies  to  which 


608  PRESBYTERIANISM  IN  THE 

he  belonged,  and  so  punctually  was  lie  present  and  so 
expert  in  the  proceedings,  that  both  the  Presbyteries  of 
Cryuga  and  Cortland  chose  him  stated  clerk.  His  last 
days  on  earth,  enfeebled  as  he  was,  were  his  best  days, 
the  daj's  of  the  liveliest  of  his  spiritual  exercises  and 
of  his  greatest  nearness  to  heaven.  Just  before  his 
death,  and  after  he  had  gone  to  Auburn  where  he  died, 
he  remarked  to  a  friend  that  he  felt  as  never  before, 
and  that  it  seemed  as  if  he  had  come  back  to  his 
mother's  home  to  die. 

Rev.  Homer  Bartlett  Morgan,  son  of  Chauncey 
D.  and  Almira  (Bartlett)  Morgan,  was  born  at  Water- 
town,  May  31,  1S27,  and  graduated  from  Hamilton 
College  in  1847,  and  from  Auburn  Seminary  in  1850. 
The  Presbytery  of  Cayuga  licensed  him  to  preach,  and 
the  Presbytery  of  St.  Lawrence  ordained  him  for  the 
ministry,  and  he  always  remained  a  member  of  the  lat- 
ter body.  In  1851,  he  went  out  under  the  American 
Board,  and  first  labored  at  Salonica,  Greece,  and  after- 
wards at  Antioch,  Syria,  and  nearly  completed  fourteen 
years  of  foreign  service.  It  was  then  determined  that 
he  should  bring  his  family  to  this  country  and  leave 
them  for  a  year  or  two  here,  while  he  went  back  to  his 
mission  field.  Hoping  to  arrive  in  time  for  the  annual 
meeting  of  the  Board  at  Chicago,  October,  1865,  he 
made  hasty  preparation  for  leaving,  and  just  ready  to 
start,  a  lovely  son,  two  years  old,  sickened  and  died. 
The  care  of  the  lad,  and  his  strenuous  exertions  to 
complete  the  preparations  for  his  departure,  brought  on 
an  attack  of  typhoid  fever,  which  destroyed  his  life, 
August  25,  1865.     He  had  proceeded  as  far  as  Smyrna, 


SYNOD  OF  VENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  609 

when  unable  to  go  further,  lie  was  taken  to  the  house 
of  his  fellow  missionary,  Eev.  D.  Ladd,  and  there  re- 
ceived the  best  of  medical  skill,  missing,  however, 
the  many  friends  whom  his  own  residence  in  the  city 
had  previously  made,  but  who  had  been  driven  away, 
at  ,that  time,  by  the  scourge  of  cholera.  Their 
places  were  supplied  by  Prussian  deaconnesses  and  by 
Captain  Hamilton  and  the  crew  of  the  Boston  barque 
Armenia.  The  Captain  watched  with  Mr.  Morgan  the 
last  night  of  his  life,  and  six  of  the  sailors  bore  the 
remains  to  the  English  cemetery,  near  the  Dutch  Hos- 
pital. Dr.  Pratt,  of  the  same  mission  with  him,  was  at 
Constantinople  during  Mr.  Morgan's  last  illness,  and 
hurried  to  Smyrna  and  accompanied  the  widow  and 
her  three  fatherless  children  to  the  United  States,  and 
they  made  it  their  home  at  Watertown  with  Mr.  Mor- 
gan's parents. 

Mr.  Morgan  married  the  widow  of  Rev.  Joseph  M. 
Sutphen,  of  the  Turkey  mission,  who  died  at  Marsovan 
in  1852,  and  daughter  of  Rev.  H.  II.  Kellogg,  long  of 
Clinton,  N.  Y.,  but  now  of  Chicago. 

Rev.  J.  W.  Parsons,  of  Nicomedias,  writ' 

Brother  Morgan  was  greatly  endeared  to  us.  His  love  was  the 
stay  of  our  hearts  during  many  dark  days  in  Balonica.  Great  as 
we  feel  his  loaf  personally,  it  is  greater  to  the  missions  in  Tu  i  hi  ^ . 

The  wisdom  in  council  and  the  good   jadgmi  nt    which  he  always 

exhibited,  rendered  him  of  Incomparable  value  t.>  all. 

Rev.  Dr.  Hamlin,  of  Constantinople,  writes: 
Be  was  a  ooble  missionary,  a  man  «»f  righl  judgment,  of  execn 
tive  power,  of  self-denying  devotion  to  hie  work.     I!.-  has  finished 

it  early,  hut  done  it  well,  and  Qi  w  r.'sts  from  his  labors  in  th.«  en 

joymenl  of  an  eternal  reward. 


610  PliESBYTERIANISM  IN  THE 

Kev.  Samuel  Mosely  was  an  alumnus  of  Yale  Col- 
lege, of  the  class  of  1836,  and  of  the  New  Haven  Sem- 
inary of  the  class  of  lb39,  and  the  eighth  in  the  line  of 
pastors  at  Cherry  Valley.  He  came  to  this  charge  im- 
mediately after  completing  his  theological  course  and, 
consumptive  and  feeble,  continued  in  it  but  a  few 
months.  He  wTas  studious  and  faithful,  and  showed 
abilities  and  attainments  and  habits  that  would  have 
qualified  him  for  a  valuable  ministry.  After  leaving 
Cherry  Valley,  he  preached  for  a  few  months  at  St. 
Vincent,  but  within  a  year,  sought  the  bosom  of  his 
family  in  New  Haven,  and  in  1845,  breathed  his  last 
there. 

Eev.  James  Muhdock  was  born  in  Saybrook,  Ct., 
February  10,  1755, — son  of  John  Murdock  and  Frances 
Conkling,  and  grandson  of  Peter  Murdock,  who  emi- 
grated from  Liverpool  early  in  the  last  century  and  set- 
tled in  Saybrook,  Ct,  Graduating  from  Yale  College 
in  1774,  he  engaged  as  tutor  of  Judge  James  Kent,  and 
subsequently  preparing  for  the  ministry,  he  went  to. 
Sandgate,  Vt.,  about  1780,  and  was  the  first  pastor  in- 
stalled there.  March,  1805,  he  moved  to  Lewis  county, 
N.  Y,  and  preached  some  time  in  Turin  and  Constable- 
ville,  and  for  seven  years  from  February,  1812,  in  Mar- 
tinsburg,  and  then  for  a  few  years  in  Gouverncur,  and 
after  that  in  Ilouseville.  In  1831  he  retired  from  sta- 
led service  and  made  it  his  home  in  Crown  Point,  with 
his  son,  Mr.  Charles  Murdock,  and  there  he  died,  Jan. 
14,  1841,  aged  86  years,  and  in  the  sixty-fifth  year  of 
his  ministry,  For  fifty  years  he  did  not  once  fail  in  his 
Sunday    services.     Of    a   strong   constitution    and    an 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  611 

equable  temperament,  lie  bore  up  under  the  responsi- 
bilities laid  upon  him,  and  suffered  no  ill  effect.  lie 
was  a  godly  man  and  a  faithful  and  successful  preacher. 
Particularly  was  he  prospered  in  Sandgate,  a  large  num- 
ber being  admitted  to  the  church  while  under  his  care. 
MY.  Murdock  was  married  Sept.  30,  1779,  to  Anna, 
daughter  of  Joseph  Buckingham  and  Sarah  Tully. 

Kev.  Joseph  Myers,  son  of  Joseph  and  Abigail  My- 
ers, was  a  native  of  Herkimer,  X.  Y.,  January,  1795. 
He  was  religiously  trained,  and  united  with  the  church 
in  the  eighteenth  year  of  his  age.  Graduating  from 
Union  College  in  1821,  he  passed  through  the  full  course 
of  study  at  Princeton  Theological  Seminary.  The  Pres- 
bytery of  Troy  in  1824  licensed  him  to  preach,  and  the 
Presbytery  of  Genesee  ordained  him  the  following  year, 
installing  him  at  the  same  time  pastor  of  the  church  in 
Leroy.  lie  subsequently  had  charge  successively  of 
the  churches  in  Brockport,  Lockport,  Orville,  Water- 
\  ill*-,  Salina  and  Liverpool,  and  acted  as  agent  of  differ- 
ent benevolent  societies.  He  was  a  courteous  gentle- 
man and  sincere  Christian,  and  if  not  a  pulpit  orator, he 
was  an  Instructive  and  earnest  preacher,  and  a  sympa- 
thetic and  diligent  pastor.  Though  of  robust  appear- 
ance, he  suffered  from  organic  derangement,  and  died 
;it  Liverpool  February  il  1  860. 

Rev.  Wu.u.wi   Neill,  1).  D..  was  a  son  of  William 
and  Jane  (Snodgrass)    Neill,  and  born  on   his  father's 

farm,  a  feu  miles  from  Pittsburgh,   Pa.,   April  25,  1 

His  parents  were  killed  1»\    [ndians  during  his  child- 
hood, ami  their  place  with  him  was  taken  bv  the  Kind 


6  1  'J  PRESB  YTERIA  NISM  IN  TH& 

est  of  friends.  In  early  youth  he  went  into  a  store  at 
Oanonsburg,  Pa.,  and  enjoyed  the  pastoral  care  of  Rev. 
Dr.  John  McMillan,  of  the  church  of  Chartiers,  Pa. 
His  hopeful  conversion  led  to  his  preparation  for  the 
ministry.  His  academic  course  was  passed  in  what 
afterwards  became  Jefferson  College,  and  in  1800 
he  entered  the  College  of  New  Jersey,  Princeton, 
Dr.  S.  Stanhope  Smith  being  then  its  President;  and 
graduating  in  1803,  he  accepted  a  tutorship.  Soon  after 
leaving  it,  and  for  the  two  years  he  spent  in  it,  he  studi- 
ed theology  under  Dr.  Henry  Kollock,  pastor  of  the 
village  church,  whose  study  was  quite  a  popular  theo- 
logical seminary.  He  was  licensed  to  preach  by  the 
New  Brunswick  Presbytery,  October,  1805,  and  in 
September,  180G,  ordained  by  the  Presbytery  of  Oneida, 
and  settled  over  the  church  in  Cooperstown.  In  Sep- 
tember. 1809,  he  left  for  the  pastorate  of  the  First 
Church,  Albany.  N.  Y.,  as  successor  to  Dr.  Nott,  and 
in  1810,  went  to  the  charga  of  the  Sixth  Church,  Phil- 
adelphia, and  in  the  Autumn  of  182-1  accepted  an  in- 
vitation to  the  Presidency  of  Dickinson  College,  Car- 
lisle, Pa.  Chronic  difficulties  in  the  college  constrained 
him  t«.  resign  after  five  years  of  wise  and  vigorous 
management,  and  by  tin1  action  of  the  trustees,  that  in- 
stitution, founded  by  Presbyterians  and  sacred  to  them, 
passed  under  the  control  of  the  Methodist  denomina- 
tion. Dr.  Neill  then  held  the  secretaryship  and  general 
agency  of  the  General  Assembly's  Board  of  Education 
for  two  years.     He  writes  : 

I  was  their  factotum,  had  the  office  in  my  dwelling,  kept  the 
records,  wrote  the  letters,  traveled,  preached,  collected  funds  and 
prepared   the    reports,  without  even  a  hoy  to  goof  errands.     But 


SYNOD  OF  VENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  613 

harder  than  all,  I  had  to  contend  with  the  American  Education 
Society,  and  the  prejudices  of  the  people  against  all  denomina- 
tional boards.  My  work  was  that  of  a  pioneer,  toilsome  and 
rough,  and  often  forgotten  when  success  crowned  the  enterprise. 
We  made  progress  by  the  hardest  labor.  A  few  hundred  dollars 
were  collected.  A  few  beneficiaries  were  registered,  and  the  peo- 
ple gradually  began  to  come  slowly  under  the  shadow  of  their 
new  standard.  Finding  the  work  too  hard  for  me,  and  incompati- 
ble with  my  duty  to  my  large  family,  I  resigned,  retired  to  Ger- 
mantown,  now  in  the  city  of  Philadelphia,  and  there  betook  my- 
self to  my  favorite  employment,  the  duties  of  the  pulpit.  The 
church  was  in  a  deplorable  condition,  broken  down,  peeled,  scat- 
tered, with  but  few  symptons  of  vitality.  Tndeed.  it  had  been  a 
sort  of  hot  house  plant,  a  few  individuals  seceding  from  the  Ger- 
man Reformed  Church  because  the  Germans  would  not  allow  the 
public  services  to  be  performed  a  part  of  the  time  in  the  English 
language.  A  little  band  of  Presbyterians,  led  on  by  two  men  of 
more  zeal  than  practical  wisdom  procured  a  fine  lot,  built  a  large 
house  and  placed  in  it  an  expensive  organ,  borrowing  money  and 
contracting  a  debt  which  sat  as  a  night-mare  upon  them  for  many 
years.  Thus  an  injury  was  inflicted  on  Presbyterianism  in  the 
town  from  which  it  has  hardly  recovered  to  this  day.  Their  min- 
ister had  died:  there  were  no  session  records;  the  pulpit  was.  p.  □ 
to  any  quack,  male  or  female,  that  might  happen  to  be  on  hand, 
and  wished  to  hold  forth  themselves  and  their  crude  notions.  In 
this  state  of  all'airs,  and  under  the  auspices  of  our  Hoard  of  Do 
inestic  Missions,  and  at  the  request  of  my  gene ro US  friend,  John 
S.  Henry,  Esq.,   I   turned  in  to  see  what  could    he   done,  and    there 

I  labored  and  watched  unto  prayer  eleven  years,  hoping  against 

hope    for   better  days.      Nor    was    the    labor    in    vain  in  the  Lord. 
But  the  population  of  the  town  was  sparse  and  fluctuating.     Pi. 
byterian  families  were  few  and  far  between,  an. I  D01   having  be.  n 

installed  pastor,  1  felt  at   libert)  to  give  place  to  a  successor  and 

determined  to  leave.  Perhaps  1  <  rred.  If  so.  (iod  overruled  it 
for  good.  Had  1  b.en  under  inaugural  engagements,  1  should 
probably  have  remained  at  (iermantown  to  tins  day,  and  I  take 
lea\  e  here  to  record  my  protest  against  the  whole  By  Stem  of  stated 
supplies.  It  is  incompatible  with  our  plan  as  Presbyterians,  and 
works  badly    in    many  wa_\  s.      It    makes  t  he  minis!  ry  t  00  in  111  b  of 

0. 


614  PRESB  YTERIA NISM  IN  THE 

a  jobbing  business,  diminishes  the  feeling  of  responsibility,  pro- 
motes fastidiousness  and  tempts  both  minister  and  people  to  be  on 
the  look  out  for  changes  and  novelties,  rather  than  growth  in 
grace  and  godly  edifying. 

In  1842,  Dr.  Neill  removed  from  Germantown  to 
Philadelphia,  and  preached  frequently  and  always  ac- 
ceptably, to  numerous  congregations  which  from  time 
to  time  he  addressed.  Some  years  after,  his  bodily 
powers  began  to  wane  and  gradually  decayed  until 
August  8,  1860,  when  they  entirely  failed  and  he  sunk 
in  death. 

Dr.  Neill  was  a  public  man,  feeling  that  he  belonged 
to  the  whole  church,  and  more  especially  to  his  denom- 
ination, and  not  merely  to  the  local  church  or  institution 
over  which  he  was  placed.  He  took  an  active  and  re- 
sponsible part  in  ecclesiastical  affairs,  filled  a  place  in 
the  directorship  of  Princeton  Theological  Seminary. 
beginning  with  the  first  appointments  in  1812.  acted  as 
stated  clerk  of  the  General  Assembly  from  1817  to 
1825,  and  presided  over  it  as  Moderator  in  1815. 

His  first  marriage  was,  October,  1805,  with  Elizabeth 
Van  Dyke,  of  Mapleton,  N.  J.  ;  his  second  with  Fran- 
ces, daughter  of  Gen.  King,  Eidgefield,  Ct, ;  and  his 
third  with  Sarah  Elmer,  of  Bridgeton,  N.  J. 

His  attachment  to  the  place  of  his  early  pastoral 
charge  and  the  residence  there  of  family  connections, 
often  drew  Dr.  Neill  to  Albany,  and  I  occasionally  saw 
linn  in  that  city,  bu1  only  in  my  childhood.  My  recol- 
lection of  his  appearance,  however,  is  quite  distinct, 
my  attention  having  been  fixed  upon  him  by  the  warm 
esteem  expressed  lor  him  and  the  notice  paid  him  by 
my  parents,  who  had  been  his  parishioners.  He  was 
rather  tall  and  spare  and  of  a  sallow  complexion,  and 


I 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  615 

wore  spectacles,  and  his  air  was  serious  and  his  manners 
were  sedate.  The  positions  he  held  indicate  the  esti- 
mate put  upon  him.  With  nothing  of  the  orator,  and 
with  no  vein  of  the  entertaining  and  never  striking,  his 
intelligence  and  scholarship  and  literary  finish,  his  clear 
delivery  of  gospel  truth,  his  tenderness  and  persuasive- 
ness and  earnestness,  drew  large  congregations  about 
him  and  firmly  held  them,  while  the  burthen  of  souls 
kept  him  looking  after  them  in  abundant  visitation  and 
religious  conversation,  and  in  the  catechising  of  the 
young.  He  often  employed  the  press,  too,  as  a  means 
of  usefulness,  and  besides  articles,  discourses  and  pam- 
phlets, lie  published  commentaries  on  the  Kpistles  to 
the  Corinthians  and  Bphesians,  and  other  volumes. 

Rev.  Benjamin  NiLESwas  an  alumnusof  Dartmouth 
College  of  the  class  of  1811,  and  settled  at  Binghamton 
in  1815, — the  first  pastor  installed  there.  Here  he  re- 
mained for  ten  years  and  until  his  death,  July,  l^_'v. 
The  year  previous  to  the.  Rev.  Peter  Lockwood  was 
siated  in  the  pastorate  with  him,  by  reason  of  his 
feeble  health.  During  the  closing  year  of  his  sole 
char--'  of  the  church  and  the  year  of  the  joint  chai 
it  by  him  and  Mr.  Lockwood.  there  was  a  larg 
sion  to  its  numbers,  some  tares,  however,  being  gath- 
ered with  the  wheat,  and  causing  subsequenl  trouble 

Short    as    Mr.   Xiles'  ministry  was,  it    made   a   deep  and 

lasting  impression.  Distinct  traces  of  it  remain  to  the 
present,  and  the  good  Bavorof  the  minister  is  still  sweet 
and  precious  among  his  people. 

Rev.  Hki:\i\\  Norton   was  hopefully  converted  at 
Auburn  in  L817,  under  the  preaching  of  the  Rev.  Dr. 


616  PRESB  YTER1A  N1SM  IN  THE 

Lansing  and  during  a  revival  of  religion.  His  gifts 
and  piety  and  zeal  led  his  pastor  and  other  Christian 
friends  to  suggest  the  ministry  to  him,  and  with  their 
aid  to  carry  him  on,  he  set  out  in  preparation  for  it, 
leaving  a  clerkship  he  had  held  in  a  store.  Graduating 
from  Hamilton  College  in  1823,  and  from  Auburn  Sem- 
inary three  years  after,  he  was  licensed  and  ordained 
by  the  Presbytery  of  Oneida,  and  for  four  years  labored 
as  an  evangelist  in  revivals  of  religion,  principally  in  this 
region,  but  also  in  Connecticut,  New  Jersey,  Pennsyl- 
vania and  Delaware.  Called  to  the  Saviour,  he  felt  from 
the  first  that  he  was  called  to  work,  and  Dr.  Lansing  re- 
marked at  his  funeral  that  more  were  brought  by  him  to 
the  Saviour  during  his  preparatory  course,  than  by  most 
men  during  an  entire  ministry.  His  first  pastorate  was 
in  a  now  disbanded  church  at  the  corner  of  Prince  and 
Crosby  Sts.,  New  York,  1830.  He  remained  in  it  five 
years,  doubling  its  membership,  and  then  took  charge 
of  a  church  in  Cincinnati,  1836,  where  he  was  equally 
prospered.  His  health,  however,  failed,  and  at  the  end 
of  two  years  he  was  compelled  to  return  to  the  East 
Recovering  in  a  measure,  he  resumed  labor,  sometimes 
as  a  stated  supply,  but  principally  as  an  evangelist.  In 
L843  he  was  elected  Secretary  of  the  "American  Prot- 
estanl  Society,"  and  when  that  was  combined  with  the 
"Christian  Alliance"  and  the  "Foreign  Evangelical  So- 
eietv"  in  t!;«'  "American  and  Foreign  Christian  Union," 
he  was  elected  one  of  the  Corresponding  Secretaries. 
He  spent  the  last  eight  years  of  his  life  in  these  posi- 
tions, and  his  spirit  admirably  adapted  him  to  them. 
No  little  violence  had  been  introduced  into  the  discus- 
sion <>f   Romanism,   and   however  excited   Protestants 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YOltK.  617 

may  have  become  against  it,  Romanists  were  not  less 
aroused  for  it.  Faithful  to  the  truth,  Mr.  Norton  was 
charitable  in  the  exhibition  of  it,  and  precluded  hos- 
tility in  his  advocacy  of  it.  The  society  rallied  Prot- 
estants about  it  that  had  been  repelled  from  it,  and  pre- 
sented itself  as  a  friend,  and  not  a  foe,  to  Romanists. 
New  revenues  were  opened  for  it  and  new  fields  of 
labor.  Agents  and  missionaries  multiplied  in  its  ser- 
vice, and  in  several  of  our  cities  large  secessions  from 
the  Papacy  were  effected  by  it.  Only  a  few  days  ill- 
ness,— congestion  of  the  lungs,  preceded  his  death, 
1850,  at  the  age  of  fifty,  but  it  was  attended  with  much 
Buffering,  and  when  warned  of  what  was  immediately 
at  hand,  he  said  twice:  "  1  do  not  care  how  soon  1 
My  anxiety  is  not  on  my  own  account,  but  for  others." 
Mr.  Norton's  preaching  dealt  with  the  essential  doc- 
trines of  the  gospel.  Not  eloquent,  but  earnest,  his 
hearers  were  lost  with  him  in  his  themes,  and  large  liuin- 
I  ers  were  persuaded  by  him  to  believe  As  a  pastor 
he  was  a  brother  and  father,  full  of  fraternal  and  pater- 
nal feeling,and  Looking  after  his  people  as  if  they  were 

his  own  family.      lb'  made  home  the  -  and  holi- 

est of  spots,  giving  toil  his  own  cheerfulness  and  benig- 
nity and  saintlinesa  Forgetful  of  himself,  he  lived  for 
others.  Always  crippled  in  his  circumstances  by  the 
Bcantiness  of  his  support,  he  uttered  no  complaint  a  lout 
it.  and  abated  not  hi.-  diligence  because  of  it.     Tl  • 

Collection  of  him  brings  lip  to  all  who  knew  him.  a 
zealous  and  1<  »\  el  \  ( 'hnM  ian.  w  ho  made  the  mo.M  of 
himself    and   of    Ins    opportunities    to    glorify  God    and 

bless  men. 


\ 

618  PRESB  YTERIANISM  IN  THE 

Eliphalet  Nott,  D.  D.,  LL.  D.,  was  a  descendant 
of  John  Nott,  who  came  from  England  in  1641,  and  set- 
tled in  Wethersfield,  Ct.  His  paternal  grandfather  was 
Rev.  Abram  Nott,  born  in  Wethersfield,  and  graduated 
from  Yale  College  in  1720,  and  settled  in  Say  brook  in 
1725,  where  he  died  at  the  age  of  ninety-one.  His 
father  was  Stephen  Nott,  a  country  merchant,  who  had 
been  in  comfortable  circumstances,  until  reduced  by 
fire  to  poverty  just  before  his  son's  birth.  His  mother 
was  Deborah,  sister  of  Col.  Selden,  of  the  Revolution- 
ary war,  who  died  in  the  slave  ship  at  New  York.  Dr. 
Nott  was  born  at  Ashford,  Windham  county,  Ct,,  June 
25,  1773,  his  parents  having  betaken  themselves  to  an 
unproductive  farm  in  an  obscure  neighborhood  there, 
after  the  burning  up  of  nearly  all  their  property.  Here 
he  spent  his  early  years  under  the  care  and  instruction 
of  the  best  of  mothers.  When  only  four  years  old  he 
had  read  the  Bible  through,  and  committed  considera- 
ble portions  of  it  to  memory.  He  helped  his  father  on 
the  farm,  and  this  kind  of  labor  was  counted  his  occu- 
pation for  life.  Heavy  responsibilities  were  laid  upon 
him  in  his  earliest  childhood.  It  was  his  father's  cus- 
tom to  tie  him  on  a  horse,  when  only  four  years  old, 
and  send  him  back  and  forth  to  mill  ;  and  through  life 
he  bore  the  sear  of  the  bite  of  the  horse,  to  whom  he 
was  reaching  an  apple  on  such  an  occasion.  He  felt 
an  insatiable  thirst  for  knowledge,  which  his  intelligent 
mother  sought  to  supply  from  every  source  within  her 
peach.  Between  his  eighth  and  ninth  year  hespentthe 
winter  with  a  sister  in  New  Salem,  N.  Y.,  and  the  win- 
ter following  with  another  sister,  at  Hartland.  He 
walked  to  the  latter  place,  forty-three  miles  distant,   in 


I 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  619 

a  single  clay,  carrying  a  bundle  of  fourteen  pounds  weight 
and  reaching  his  destination  at  a  late  hour.  The  fa- 
tigue was  a  serious  but  not  permanent  injury  to  him. 
He  studied  arithmetic  during  his  evenings,  with  the 
light  of  pine  knots,  which  he  went  live  miles  to  gather. 
He  afterwards  spent  some  time  with  his  brother.  Rev. 
Samuel  Xott.  at  Franklin,  Ct.  The  visits  of  a  physi- 
cian to  his  mother  when  sick,  inclined  him  to  the  study 
of  medicine,  but  fainting  after  the  removal  of  a  cancer 
from  a  patient,  his  zeal  for  it  expired.  At  the  death  of 
his  mother,  when  he  was  twelve  years  old,  he  returned 
to  his  brother,  and  who.  in  keeping  with  the  custom  of 
the  day,  cultivated  a  farm  while  he  fulfilled  his  minis- 
try, and  remained  with  him  two  or  three  years,  at  work 
in  summer  and  at  study  in  winter.  At  sixteen,  he 
taught  school  for  two.  winters,  at  Pantapang,  Lord's 
Bridge,  and  at  eighteen  took  charge  of  the  Plainfield 
Academy,  pursuing  the  classics  and  mathematics  under 
Rev.  Dr.  Benedict,  afterwards  his  father-in-law.  At 
this  time,  he  and  a  young  companion  published  some 
newspaper  articles  reflecting  severely  on  certain  barbar- 
ous practices  common  among  the  lower  and  middle 
classes  of  Bociety  in  that  region,  and  wrote,  without 
printing,  a  satirical  poem,  entitled  "  Woman's  Solilo- 
quy," which  was  widely  circulated  and  aroused  great 
excitement  Be  was  called  to  account  for  this  before 
his  brother's  church,  with  which  he  had  united,  Roger 
■old.  afterwards  the  distinguished  Governor  of 
Connecticut,  commencing  the  prosecution,  but  - 
abandoning  it  as  unjust  The  trial  lasted  for  Beveral 
days,  awakening  the  liveliest  interest  in  Franklin  and 
the  neighboring  parishes  ;  but,  himself  his  only  defender, 


620  PRESBYTERIANJSM  IN  THE 

he  was  fully  acquitted.  Complimentary  as  all  this  was 
to  the  youth's  skill,  it  did  not  commend  itself  to  his 
subsequent  matured  judgment.  Leaving  Plainfield,  he 
entered  Brown  University  and  remained  only  a  year, 
hut  was  admitted  Master  of  Arts  there  in  1795.  Ee- 
turning  to  Franklin,  he  studied  theology  for  six  months 
with  his  brother,  and  was  then  licensed  by  the  New 
London  Association,  at  Canterbury,  Ct,  June  25,  1796. 
He  preached  two  Sundays  at  New  Salem,  and  was 
frightened  away  by  rattlesnakes, — a  man  having  just 
then  been  bitten  by  one.  The  Association  thereupon 
commissioned  him  for  this  region,  in  the  21st  year  of 
his  age,  and  he  was  among  the  first  to  pass  over  the  Great 
Western  Turnpike.  After  preaching  a  couple  of  months 
at  Cherry  Valley,  heaccepted  an  invitation  to  settle  there, 
and  opened  an  academy  simultaneously  with  the  com- 
mencement of  his  pastorate.  Two  or  three  years  subse- 
quently, he  was  invited  through  the  intervention  of  Presi- 
dent John  Blair  Smith,  of  Union  College,  to  preach  two 
Sundays  as  a  candidate  in  the  vacant  church  at  Al- 
bany. Giving  satisfaction  to  all  but  a  Scotch  portion 
of  it,  a  call  to  the  charge  was  forthwith  extended  to 
him  and  accepted,  and  soon  after,  his  Scotch  parishion- 
ers joined  their  brethren  in  approbation  of  him.  Here 
he  spent  rive  years  of  what  he  considered  the  most  dili- 
genl  labors  of  his  life,  and  which  he  thought  it  would 
have  been  impossible  for  him  to  survive  another  year. 
lie  began  with  only  three  written  sermons,  previously 
using  nothing  but  a  "skeleton"  in  the  pulpit.  His 
bearers  comprehended  a  large  number  of  the  most  dis- 
tinguished men  of  the  State,  among  them,  Hamilton, 
Burr,  Livingston.  Kent  and  Spencer,  and  he  would  not 


8TN0D  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  621 

address  them   without  elaborate  preparation,  and   the 

writing  out  of  his  discourses  in  full.  On  the  other 
hand,  the  prejudices  of  the  Scotch  hearers  must  be  con- 
sulted, and  they  could  not  tolerate  the  reading  of  a 
manuscript.  To  suit  both  classes,  Dr.  Nott  penned 
every  word  he  spoke,  and  committed  the  whole  to 
memory  and  delivered  it  without  a  scrap  of  paper  be- 
fore him.  But  under  pressure  his  best  execution  was 
wrought  in  brief  periods.  His  sermon  on  the  death  of 
Hamilton  still  reverberates  in  the  public  ear.  Perhaps 
none  more  effective  ever  sounded  from  the  American 
Pulpit,  and  yet  it  was  composed  and  memorized  after 
noon  of  the  Wednesday  before  the  Sunday  on  which  it 
was  pronounced. 

Union  College  was  chartered  in  1795,  and  held  its 
first  Commencement  in  1797.  Dr.  Smith  being  in  its 
Presidency.  The  younger  Jonathan  Edwards  succeed- 
ed to  this  place,  but  lived  only  a  single  year  after.  Dr. 
Jonathan  Maxey  followed  him.  but  retired  in  1804, — 
and  then  Dr.  Not!  came  in.  Fifty  years  after  he  re- 
marked :  ••Some  forty  student.-  scattered  over  the  then 
village  of  Schenectady,  meeting  for  educational  pur- 
poses in  what  was  then  a  cabinet-maker's  shop,  with  a 
single  Prohssor.  was  the  whole  of  Union  College,"  and 
it  may  be  added,  only  Bixty-three  had  graduated  from 
it.  Be  addressed  himself  to  the  raising  of  the  needed, 
funds  and  the  erection  of  needed  buildings  and  thi 

tablishmenl  and  tilling  of  new  departments,  and  won- 
derfully succeeded  in  this  part  of  his  work,  while  as 
President  he  attracted  crowds  of  young  men,  four  thou- 
sand <»f  whom  were  graduated  under  him. 

Though  incessantly  occupied   by  his  duties  to  the 
college,  Dr.  Notl  was  much  engaged  in  outside  preach 


622  PRESBYTER1AN1SM  IN  THE 

ing.  and  considerably  in  ecclesiastical  affairs,  and  in 
1811  was  chosen  Moderator  of  the  General  Assembly. 
He  entered  cordially  into  the  temperance  reform,  and 
was  the  constant  dependence  and  counsellor  of  Mr.  Ed- 
ward C.  Delavan  in  his  large  and  liberal  enterprises  for 
this  cause.  He  published  occasional  addresses  and  ser- 
mons, and  in  1810  his  "Counsel  to  Young  Men,"  which 
passed  through  numerous  editions,  and  in  1847,  "Lec- 
tures on  Temperance."  In  I860,  he  went  for  the  last 
time  to  his  lecture  room,  and  presided  at  Commence- 
ment for  the  last  time  in  1862.  Infirmities  were  gath- 
ering upon  him  for  many  years  previously,  and  his  de- 
cline ended  in  fatal  paralysis,  January  29,  1866.  "His 
dying  counsel  to  his  nearest  friend  was,  'Fear  God  and 
keep  his  commandments,'  and  his  last  words  were,  ;  Je- 
sus Christ,  my  covenant  God.'  "  He  was  married  three 
times:  first  to  Sally,  daughter  of  Kev.  Joel  Benedict, 
of  Plainficld,  Ct,  and  then  to  Gertrude  Tibbits.  and  last 
to  Urania  E.  Sheldon,  of  Utica. 

Says  Rev.  Dr.  Crook,  of  the  Methodist  Church : 
Intellectually,  Dr.  Nott  was  a  remarkable  man, — many-sided, 
and  superior  on  mostsides.  His  mechanical  genius  is  well  known, 
and  one  of  the  most  famous  iron  manufactories,  "the  Novelty 
Works,"  New  York,  originated  in  one  of  his  inventions.*  He  was 
a  great  financier,  and  enriched  himself  and  Union  College  by  his 
masterly  skill  and  enterprise.  In  the  higher  activities  of  intellect, 
he  commanded  not  only  the  respect,  but  the  admiration  of  all  who 
knew  him.  He  was  notably  perspicuous,  and  his  luminous 
mind  never  failed  to  throw  at  least  a  new  light  on  whatsoever 
Subject  he  treated.     He  had  no  small  amount  of  intellectual  cour- 


*I)r  Nott  took  out  thirty  patents  for  inventions  for  heating, — 
among  them  the  first  stove  for  burning  anthracite  coal  It  bore 
his  name  and  was  extensively  used,  and  as  a  hall  stove  especially 
has  never  been  surpassed. 


I 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  623 

age,  and  was  not  afraid  of  the  "  bugbear"  imputation  of  charlatan 
ism  against  new  opinions  and  startling  theories.  But  such  was 
the  strength  of  his  religious  faith,  that  we  never  knew  him  to 
trench  with  any  recklessness  on  the  mysteries  of  revealed  truth. 

He  was  oratorical  without  being  declamatory,  and  a  more  fin- 
ished or  perfect  oratory  was  never  heard  in  the  American  pulpit. 
We  have  been  disposed  to  pronounce  it  faultless.  One  of  his 
many  extraordinary  talents  was  his  memory,  which  through  most 
of  his  life  seemed  infallible,  and  it  had  much  to  do  with  his  elo- 
quence, for  it  enabled  him  to  go  immediately  from  the  composi- 
tion of  his  discourse  to  the  desk  without  the  manuscript,  and  de- 
liver it  without  the  least  apparent  effort  of  recollection.  His 
most  striking  characteristic  as  a  preacher  was  his  perfect  grace  of 
manner,  toned  by  a  perfect  graciousness,  if  we  may  so  speak,  of 
religious  feeling,  strong,  serene,  dignified,  beautiful  in  language, 
sometimes  to  ornateness,  clear  in  thought  and  argument  to  trans- 
parency itself,  appropriate  in  every  modulation  and  gesture,  he 
impressed  one  as  a  consummate  master  of  the  art  of  speaking. 
And  what  we  could  not  fail  to  remark  was  the  fact,  indisputable, 
that  this  perfection  of  manner  was  not  at  all  mechanical,— not  at 
all  a  perfunctory  accomplishment,  but  entirely  natural,— an  ex- 
pression of  the  natural  symmetry  of  his  intellectual  and  moral 
nature.  No  man  was  happier  in  short,  impromptu,  or  extempora- 
neous addresses,  but  he  took  beaten  gold  into  the  pulpit.  He  pre- 
pared his  sermons  studiously  and  prayerfully,  yet  delivered  them 
with  a  facility  that  may  be  characterized  as  altogether  felicitous. 
And  the  moral  impression  of  his  sermons  was  always  profound. 

Dr.  Nbtt's  strength  became  his  weakness.  His  gifts 
were  bis  overmastering  temptations.  His  inventive 
genius  betrayed  bira  int..  large  Btove  manufactories  and 
iron  works,  and  turned  him  into  the  busiest  of  business 
men.  His  financial  skill  turned  him  into  a  large  ope- 
rator, principal!}  in  tin-  interests  of  bis  college,  but  t<> 
an  extent  incompatible  with  personal  spirituality  and 
ministerial  usefulness  and  character.  The  result,  after 
long  waiting,  was  immense  to  both  Dr.  Not!  and  the 
college,  bu1  not  without  immense  trouble  and  no  little 
controvei 


624  PRESBYTERIANISM  IN  THE 

The  State  authorized  lottery  schemes  for  the  benefit 
of  three  of  its  colleges.  They  did  not  succeed  under 
a  joint  control,  and  Union  College  bought  out  the  in- 
terest of  the  other  two,  and  with  Dr.  Nott  as  the  mas- 
ter spirit,  Messrs.  Yates  and  Mclntyre  were  employed 
as  general  agents.  The  tide  then  changed,  and  floods 
were  poured  into  the  treasury  of  the  college;  but  a 
legislative  investigation  into  accounts,  induced  by  loud 
reports  of  fraud,  were  requisite  to  the  vindication  of 
Dr.  Nott's  integrity,  and  even  that  did  not,  in  universal 
esteem,  clear  up  every  cloud  that  had  darkened  it. 

A  doubt  of  Dr.  Nott's  perfect  ingenuousness  entered 
the  public  mind.  A  suspicion  somewhat  prevailed  that 
he  was  a  ''schemer"  and  "manager,"  carrying  his 
points  by  tact  and  diplomacy,  and  adopting  something 
of  the  Macchiavellian  policy:  and  exception  was  taken 
to  his  training  of  students,  as  bringing  them  up  to  ex- 
pediency rather  than  to  principle,  and  also  to  his  ar- 
rangement of  study  and  his  requirements  of  study,  as 
sacrificing  scholarship  to  numbers.  Possibly  there  was 
a  basis  for  the  thought,  but  much  of  it  was  more  likely 
to  be  a  prejudice  or  a  mere  impression.  There  can  be 
no  more  doubt  of  the  genuineness  of  Dr.  Nott's  piety, 
and  of  his  benevolence  and  earnest  endeavor  to  do 
good,  and  of  his  great  usefulness,  than  of  his  abilities 

I  accomplishments. 


an< 


Rev.  Samson  Ocoum,  was  born  at  Mohegan,  near 
Norwich,  Ct.,  in  1728.  He  was  the  first  Indian  taken 
into  "More's  Charity  School,"  entering  there  in  the 
nineteenth  year  of  his  age.  Obtaining  a  thorough  ed- 
ucation, in  1748,  he  taught  school  at  New  London.    He 


\ 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  TOEK.  625 

removed  thence  to  Montauk,  L.  L,  and  was  a  teacher 
of  Indians,  greatly  beloved  by  them,  for  ten  or  eleven 
years,  and  for  a  part  of  this  time  licensed  to  preach. 
August  29,  1759,  he  was  ordained  by  the  Suffolk  Pres- 
bytery. He  went  to  England  in  1766,  to  solicit  money 
for  his  alma  mater,  and  being  the  first  Indian  preacher 
who  had  visited  there,  he  attracted  great  attention  and 
drew  crowded  houses.  He  preached  before  George  III. 
and  "the  noblest  chapels  in  the  kingdom  were  open  to 
him.'1  The  king  presented  him  a  gold-headed  cane, 
and  became  a  patron  of  the  school,  heading  a  long  list 
of  noblemen  and  men  of  wealth  and  distinction.  Large 
sums  were  contributed  and  for  several  years  in  succes- 
sion. In  1786,  Mr.  Oeenm,  with  one  hundred  and 
ninety-two  Montanks  and  Shinecocka  from  Long  Is- 
land, Mohegans  from  Connecticut,  and  Naragansetts 
from  Rhode  Island,  emigrated  to  Brotherton,  nearOris- 
kany  Creek,  and  within  the  town  of  Marshall,  Oneida 
county,  and  there  he  labored  with  much  earnestness  for 
his  people,  and  maintained  an  exemplary  character,  and 
enjoyed  the  confidence  of  missionary  Kirkland  and  of 

Christians    generally.       Intelligent    and   cultivated,    and 

much  esteemed,  be  officiated  for  the  white  settlers. 
preaching,  s<  ilemnizing  marriages  and  attending  funerals. 
The  call  for  his  services  was  frequent,  as  for  some  time 
he  was  the  only  minister  between  the  German  Flats  and 

Oneida.      lie   died    at    New    Stockbridge,    July.    L792, 

aged  'i'*  yeara 

Rev.  David  Longwortb  Ogdkn  was  born  in  Con- 
necticut, and  graduated   from   Yale  College  in   L814L 

He  spent  t  \\  <  i  \  ears  at    A.nd0V6T   Seminary,  in    the  class 


626  PRESBYTERIANISM  IN  THE 

of  1818.      He  was   ordained  October  31,   1821,   and 

settled  at  Southington,  Ct.  Removing  to  Whites- 
boro  in  1836,  he  remained  there  until  1844.  In  1848 
he  went  to  Marlboro,  Mass.,  and  left  for  New  Haven 
in  1850,  where  he  lived,  without  charge,  until  his 
death,  October  31,  1863,  aged  71.  Of  commanding 
person,  his  mind  corresponded  to  his  body.  Fe,w  men 
bring  more  vigor  to  the  ministry,  and  wield  a  more 
powerful  influence  in  it.  Unhappily  for  him,  he  was 
called  to  Whitesboro  at  the  time  of  its  agitation  from 
the  anti-slavery  movement,  and  he  entered  the  Presby- 
tery of  Oneida  in  the  midst  of  its  throes  from  it.  His 
temperament  forbade  silence  and  quiet,  and  none  de- 
fended the  conservative  side  and  assailed  the  radical 
with  more  fearlessness  or  ability  or  effect.  He  was  an 
excellent  and  acceptable  preacher,  and  the  church  at 
Southington,  particularly,  greatly  flourished  under  his 
care. 

Rev.  Andrew  Oliver,  a  native  of  Scotland,  but 
then  more  recently  from  Pelham,  Mass.,  was  installed 
at  Springfield,  the  first  pastor  there,  October  14,  1806. 
There  was  some  opposition  to  his  settlement  and  some 
delay  in  consequence,  and  December  following,  a  Con- 
gregational Church  of  twenty-four  seceding  members 
was  formed.  He  remained  in  charge  for  nearly  thir- 
teen years,  during  which  the  church  grew  in  numbers, 
strength  and  stability.  Though  no  revival  of  religion 
occurred,  97  communicants  were  received,  55  of  them 
on  a  profession  of  faith.  Mr.  Oliver  continued  his  res- 
idence in  Springfield  until  his  death,  at  the. age  of  71 
years.    March    24,    1833.     He  was  sound  in  doctrine, 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  627 

faithful  in  the  pulpit,  and  a  diligent  pastor,  giving  es- 
pecial attention  to  the  young  and  instructing  them  in 
the  shorter  catechism. 

Rev.  AZABIAH  GILES  OKTON  was  a  native  of  Massa- 
chusetts and  a  graduate  from  Williams  College  in  18  8, 
and  from  Princeton  Seminary  in  181  < ,  having  among 
his  classmates  at  the  latter  institution  Drs.  David  Ma- 
gee,  Francis  McFarland,  Thomas  M.  Smith,  Bishop 
McTlvaine  and  Professor  Samuel  S.  Sch mucker.  Li- 
censed and  ordained  at  Cranberry,  N.  J.,  in  1S22,  by 
the  Presbytery  of  New  Brunswick,  he  ministered  suc- 
cessively to  the  churches  in  Seneca  Falls.  Lisle.  Greene, 
and  Lisle  a  second  time,  and  for  his  last  several  years 
was  disabled  for  preaching.  He  died  of  asthma,  at 
Lisle,  December  2$,  1864.  He  married  Minerva  Squires, 
of  Lisle,  December  18,  1822.  His  wife,  with  four  of 
eight  sons,  survived  him.  Besides  his  work  for  the 
pulpit  and  in  the  parish,  he  wrote  largely  for  the  press, 
especially  on  capital  punishment.  Episcopacy  and 
slavery.  Rev.  Dr.  Arthur  Burtis  described  him  as  "a 
man  of  profound  investigation,  leaving  no  stone  un- 
turned in  his  pursuit  of  a  subject  Though  always  ac- 
knowledged  as   of  superior   erudition,    he   was   always 

unassuming,  keeping  in  the  background  until  called 

out." 

Rev.  Jeremiah  Osborn  labored  with  \)v.  Williston 
as  a  missionary  in  the  Southern  part  of  the  territory  of 
the  Synod  Be  was  afterwards  ordained  and  settled  at 
Newark,  and  in  lsli>  removed  to  Candor,  and  had 
charge  of  the  church  there   f<>r   twelve  years,  "and 


628  PRESB  TTER1AN1SM  IN  THE 

closed  a  blessed  life  in  an  unhappy  quarrel  with  his 
people  about  a  support." 

The  Presbytery  of  Cayuga,  January  18,  1865,  adop- 
ted the  following  minute,  reported  by  Prof.  Samuel 
Miles  Hopkins,  D.  D.  : 

It  having  pleased  Divine  Providence  to  remove  from  us  in  a  ripe 
and  honored  old  age,  Rev.  Levi  Parsons,  for  many  years  the 
Father  of  this  Presbytery  and  the  last  survivor  of  its  original 
membership,  the  Presbytery  feel  called  upon  to  place  upon  record 
their  sense  of  the  eminent  worth  and  services  of  this  venerable 
servant  of  God.  A  native  of  Massachusetts,  a  graduate  of  Wil- 
liams College,  where  he  subsequently  spent  two  years  as  tutor, 
and  trained  for  the  ministry  under  Dr.  Hyde,  of  Lee,  Mass.,  he 
removed  early  into  Central  and  Western  New  York;  and  in  1807, 
at  the  age  of  26  years,  became  pastor  of  the  church  in  Marcellus. 
In  this  place,  with  a  continuity  too  rare  at  the  present  time,  and 
highly  honorable  both  to  himself  and  his  people,  he  accomplished 
a  ministry  of  thirty-two  years,  and  here  he  died,  (of  congestion 
of  the  lungs,  Nov.  20,  1864,)  crowned  with  the  love  and  venera- 
tion of  family,  friends  and  the  entire  church,  having  reached  in 
the  full  possession  of  his  faculties,  the  age  of  four  score  and  four 
years.  In  his  character,  as  a  christian  and  a  minister,  there  was 
happily  blended  strict  orthodoxy  with  evangelical  charity,  eccle- 
siastical enterprise  with  great  personal  modesty,  sound  wisdom 
with  marked  simplicity,  and  he  filled  a  long  life  with  abundant 
labors  and  activities.  He  was,  from  its  organization  in  1811,  the 
exact  and  conscientious  Treasurer  of  the  Presbytery,  repeatedly 
its  Moderator,  from  the  first  an  active  promoter  and  friend  of  the 
Theological  Seminary  (Auburn),  and  for  many  years  the  President 
of  its  Board  of  Trustees. 

Mr.  Parsons  was  licensed  by  the  Stockbridge  Asso- 
ciation, and  ordained  by  a  Congregational  Council,  Sep- 
tember 16,  1807.  lie  came  to  this  region  under  an 
appointment  by  the  Berkshire  Missionary  Society. 
J I  is   first  term  of  service  at    Marcellus  was  twenty-six 


I 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  629 

years  ;  lie  then  supplied  Tully  for  one  year  and  Otisco 
for  another,  and  then  went  hack  to  his  former  charge 
in  Marcellus  and  held  it  six  years  longer,  and  spent  the 
remainder  of  his  ministry  with  the  Third  Church  in 
Marcellus  and  at  Borodino.  Said  his  successor,  Rev. 
John  Tompkins,  who  held  the  pastorate  for  precisely 
twenty-five  years  and  until  his  death  :  u  He  loved  the 
church  to  which  he  long  ministered,  and  was  a  true 
fellow -laborer  with  his  successor  for  twenty-four  years.'* 
He  married  Alrnira  Eice,  of  Marcellus.  The  youngest 
of  their  eight  children  is  Rev.  Levi  Parsons.  1).  I).,  of 
Mount  Morris,  Livingston  county. 

Having  been  associated  with  him  in  the  Synod  of 
(Jenevaand  in  the  Auburn  Seminan  Board  of  Trus- 
tees, I  have  a  distinct  and  most  agreeable  recollection 
of  Mr.  Parsons.  His  appearance  is  clear  to  me,— un- 
der rather  than  above  the  common  height,  but  quite 
well  filled  out,  with  a  east  in  one  eye,  and  a  little  trem- 
ulous from  age,  plain  hut  somewhat  professional  in 
dress,  and  the  model  in  person  of  an  old  New  England 
di\ine.     Prompt  to  take  any  pai  ed  or  belong- 

ing to  him,  w  hatever  he  did.  he  did  as  a  matter  of  duty, 
and  not  in  the  least  from  officiousnese  or  tihe  desire  of 
prominence.  [ndeed,  he  was  the  humblest  of  men  and 
retiring,  hut  by  temperamenl  and  mental  constitution 
and  practice,  among  the  tnosl  efficient  in  public  bodies. 
11      affectionateness  and  strength  of  attachment  were 

illustrated  l.\    the  invarial  •■.  itli  which  he  and  the 

venerable  Seth  Smith,  of  Genoa,  came  together  and 
their  inseparablenesfl  in   ecclesiastical  and  -other  meet- 
ings.    They  probably  neveT  tailed,  on  such  occae 
to  sit  down  at  the  Bame  table  and  to  lodge  in  the  same 


630  PRESBYTERIANISM  IN  THRx 

room,  and  both,  men  beautifully  exemplified  Christian 
sincerity,  simplicity,  integrity,  conscientiousness  and 
loveliness, — the  union  of  seriousness  and  faithfulness 
with  graciousness,  and  of  strict  orthodoxy  and  sacred 
regard  for  divine  truth  with  charity,  and  of  orderliness 
with  activity. 

Mention  has  been  made  of  Eev.  Joseph  Penny, 
D.  D.,  in  connection  with  Hamilton  College.  To  that 
may  be  added  the  following,  from  the  pen  of  Charles 
P.  Bash,  D.  D.: 

He  was  a  man  of  superior  abilities  and  fine  education,  with  a 
special  interest  in  the  natural  sciences,  and  exerted  a  most  happy 
influence  on  the  young  and  forming  community  in  regard  to 
schools  He  often  visited  them,  offered  prizes  for  superiority  in 
le;  ruing,  attended  their  examination,  and  cheered  the  scholars  in 
their  studies.  We  well  remember  the  emulation  thus  excited  in 
the  academy  when  kept  in  what  is  now  the  Exchange  Hotel,  by 
the  offer  of  a  gold  medal  to  the  student  who,  after  three  months 
of  preparation,  should  pass  the  best  examination  in  Latin  gram- 
mar and  scanning.  Some  had  studied  the  language  more  or  less, 
for  two  or  three  years,  and  yet  the  prize  was  borne  off  by  Augus- 
tus Hopkins,  a  young  man  from  the  country,  who  took  his  first 
lesson  in  Latin  only  three  months  before.  But  he  studied  day 
and  night,  as  though  his  life  was  at  stake.  For  a  good  part  of 
the  time  he  almost  lived  upon  the  stimulus  of  tea  and  coffee, 
growing  thin  and  pale  under  the  operation,  but  determined  to 
win  at  whatever  hazard.  He  had  the  ambition  of  a  Caesar,  and 
we  should  have  heard  more  of  him,  had  not  an  early  death  cut 
short  his  career.  Dr.  Penny  was  quite  a  genius  in  mechanics  also 
and  would  have  made  an  inventor  of  high  order,  if  he  had  turned 
his  attention  in  that  direction,  and  he  did  quite  as  much  to  en- 
courage our  young  artizans  as  our  young  schoolmasters.  In  1829 
be  visited  his  native  land,  taking  with  him  publications  on  the 
temperance  cause,  then  just  inaugurated  in  this  country.  He 
held  meetings  in  Belfast  and  other  places, and  organized  societies, 

making,  it   is  supposed,  the   first  efforts  in  Ireland  for  this  re- 
form, and  preceding  Father  Matthew  by  many  years. 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  631 

After  leaving  Hamilton  College,  Dr.  Penny  removed 
to  Grand  Rapids,  Mich.,  and  from  there  to  Pontiac, 
Mich.,  where  his  health  failed,  and  he  returned  to  Roch- 
ester and  died  there,  of  paralysis,  March  20,  1860. 

Dr.  Penny  married  Isabella  Sterling,  of  New  York 
city,  and  three  sons  survived  him. 

ROSWELL  PETTIBONE,  the  son  of  Dr.  Luman  Petti- 
bone,  was  born  in  Orwell,  Vermont,  August  26,  1796. 
Rev.  Baruch  B.  Beckwith  writes  of  him  as  follows: 

When  seven  years  of  age  the  father,  with  seven  other  families, 
moved  to  St.  Lawrence  County,  N.  Y.  Most  of  the  country  being 
an  unbroken  wilderness,  he  had  no  facilities  for  an  early  educa- 
tion, but  was  fond  of  books,  and  having  access  to  a  good  library, 
read  it  through.  When  eighteen  years  of  age  he  was  converted 
to  God  by  the  preaching  of  one  of  our  eailiest  missionaries.  His 
conviction  of  sin  was  deep  and  pungent,  but  Christ,  the  end  of  the 
law  for  righteousness  to  all  who  believe,  was  the  hope  of  his  sal- 
vation. 

He  fitted  for  and  entered  Middlebury  College  in  1817,  graduated 
in  1820.  taught  the  academy  there  in  1821,  studied  divinity  with 
Dr.  Hopkins,  and  was  licensed  by  the  Addison  County  Association 
in  1822.  lie  was  immediately  called  to  Brandon,  Vermont  but 
arriving  at  home,  found  his  father  feeble,  and  in  duty  to  him  de- 
clined the  invitation. 

He  commenced  preaching  in  Uopkinton,  St.  Lawrence  county, 
N.  Y.,  in  1823,  and  was  ordained  July  22,  1824,  where  be  labored 
with  great  fidelity,  acceptability,  and  success  fifty  nim  persons 
being  added  to  the  church  in  one  revival  — till  poor  health  and  the 
ity  of  the  winters  induced  him  to  seek  a  milder  climate,  and 
be  was  dismissed  AugUBl  10,  1880  and  in  September  following  "flit 

West  and  preached  at  Ann  Arbor,  Michigan,  through  the  winter, 

and  in  the  Spring  received  a  unanimous  call  to  take  charge  <>f  the 
church.  He  returned  for  his  family,  and  was  prevented  from  go- 
ing back  by  fever  contracted  in  that  new  country. 

Through    the  summer  and  autumn  of    1881  —  for  be  could    not, 

though  infirm,  be  idle  in  the  Master's  vineyard-   be  labored  in 


632  PRESBYTERIAN1SM  IN  THE 

protracted  meetings  and  supplying  destitute  churches  in  the 
country,  especially  his  former  church,  in  Hopkinton.  In  Novem- 
ber he  was  invited  to  the  church  in  Evans'  Mills,  Jefferson  Co. 
N.  Y.,and  served  this  church  with  great  fidelity  and  success  until 
in  November,  1837,  he  was  called  to  Canton,  St.  Lawrence  county, 
N.  Y.,  and  installed  February  14, 1838.  Here  he  labored  in  season 
and  out  of  season,  until  April  1,  1854,  when  he  was  dismissed,  and 
entered  upon  his  work  as  chaplain  of  Clinton  State  Prison,  where 
he  labored  with  tact  and  energy,  preaching  Christ  crucified  to  the 
prisoners  until  his  tongue  was  paralyzed  in  death.  His  health  had 
been  declining  through  the  summer,  though  every  day  attending 
to  the  duties  of  his  office. 

On  Sunday  morning,  August  9,  after  opening  the  prison  Sabbath 
school  with  prayer,  he  was  taken  with  cholera  morbus,  which,  in 
connection  with  his  previous  weakness,  reduced  him  rapidly. 
Monday  he  seemed  better,  but  alluded  to  the  probability  of  not 
recovering.  When  asked  if  his  mind  was  clear  and  peaceful,  he 
promptly  replied:  "Yes,  all  right.  I  never  thought  I  should  feel 
as  I  do  about  dying.  I  think  it  is  a  very  solemn  thing  to  die.  the 
most  so  of  anything  that  transpires  in  this  world.  I  cannot  treat 
the  subject  as  some  writers  do.  making  it  a  mere  plaything,  as  it 
seems  to  me.  It  is  a  solemn  thing  to  die!  I  have  always  thought 
I  should  be  one  that  would  start  back,  but  I  don't  feel  so  now. 
It  is  all  of  Christ.  Nothing  else.  If  it  were  not  for  Christ  we 
should  all  be  gone." 

His  reason  remained  to  the  last.  On  Thursday  evening,  August 
13,  as  the  sun  was  shedding  his  last  rays,  he  fell  asleep,  and  on 
Saturday  afternoon  following  was  laid  unto  his  fathers  in  the 
beautiful  cemetery  in  Ogdensburg,  "  having  served  his  generation 
by  the  will  of  Ood"  forty-one  years  in  the  ministry,  and  nearly  a 
quarter  of  a  century  in  St.  Lawrence  county.  This  was  his  cho- 
sen field  of  labor,  and  here  his  interests  centered  and  here  let 
him  sleep  among  the  sepulchres  of  his  kindred  until  the  arch  an  • 
ge\%  trumpet  shall  wake  the  sleepers 

In  spirit  and  conduct  a  progressive  conservative,  and  strongly 
attached  to  tin Cal vinist ie  doctrines  of  grace,  which  are  progress- 
ive yrt  conservative,  he  pleached  them  and  exemplified  them 
everywhere,  the  Lord  working  with  him,  and  there  was  add- 
ed to  the  church  many  souls  as  the  seal  of  his  ministry 
and     the    crown     of     his    rejoicing.       During    his     ministry     at 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  633 

Evans'  Mills,  one  hundred  and  seven  were  added  to  the  church* 
fifty  five  as  the  fruits  of  a  revival  in  Hopkinton,  and  in  Canton 
and  elsewhere  where  he  labored,  many  were  turned  unto  the 
Lord,  who  hold  him  in  grateful  remembrance.  The  early  records 
of  the  different  benevolent  societies  of  St.  Lawrence  county,  show 
that  he  was  engaged  in  the  formation  of  all  (except  the  Bible  So- 
ciety which  was  organized  before  he  entered  the  ministry)  that 
sisterhood  of  charities  which  have  done  and  are  doing  so  much  to 
bless  our  country  and  save  the  world.  He  was  active  in  organiz- 
ing new  churches  in  this  and  Jefferson  county,  and  in  establishing 
and  building  them  up  in  the  order  and  fellowship  of  the  gospel. 
Ever  and  everywhere  "  a  good  man  and  full  of  faith  and  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,"  much  people  were  added  to  the  Lord  by  his  public 
and  private  labors. 

In  all  things  he  was  a  pattern  well  worthy  of  imitation.  One 
who  knew  him  well  and  intimately  all  his  days,  says  to  me  in  a 
letter,  closing  thus:  "  In  one  word  I  could  and  will  testify  that  he 
was  preeminent  in  every  relation  and  in  the  discharge  of  every  duty, 
gentle  in  his  speech,  meek  in  his  manners,  without  guile,  and  with- 
out hypocrisy;  thoughtful  and  exemplary  always,  as  a  man,  as  a 
husband,  as  a  father,  as  a  citizen,  and  as  a  Christian."  Associated 
with  Mr.  Pettibone  for  the  last  twenty  years  as  co-presbyter,  and 
meeting  him  often  and  familiarly  in  all  the  walks  of  life,  the 
writer  of  this  tribute  to  his  memory  would  say  "Amen,"  to  the 
above  beautiful  portraiture  of  his  life-long  friend,  ami  would  bear 
grateful  testimony  to  his  wisdom  and  faithfulness  as  a  true  friend 
in  the  many  and  varied  scenes  of  a  pastor's  life.  Very  pleasant 
hast  thou  been  to  me,  my  brother' 

Such    war-   I!'  .-well     Pettibone,      BO  he    lived;   so  he    labored,    so 

he  died. 

M  Soldier  of  Christ,  well  done  ! 

Praise  be  thy  new  employ  ; 
And  while  eternal  igee  ran 
Beet  in  thy  Baytonr'i  Joy." 

Of    Rev.    .\\k"\    Pi   i\\\l,;i    native  of    1\  .nifivt,  ( Y. 

and  college  bred,  Rev.  W  F.  Sanborn,  says: 

Well  read  in  law  and  theology,  and  ■  man  of  devout  piety,  he 

was  installed,  Mareh   1  1,   1SJ1,  as  the  BOCOn  1  pastor  of  Springfield. 

At  the  mm-  of  his  coming  an  unui  iial  degree  <>f  religiOui  Interest 


634  PRESB  YTERIA  NISM  IN  THE 

existed,  which  wonderfully  increased  and  resulted  in  one  of  the 
most  precious  revivals  with  which  the  church  has  been  blessed. 
Its  beginnings  were  manifest  before  Mr.  Putnam  came,  originat- 
ing under  God  in  the  spiritual  preaching  of  occasional  ministers 
who  visited  the  place.  A  Rev.  Mr.  Waters  was  diligent  to  incite 
the  church  to  prayer,  by  instituting  prayer  meetings  in  different 
neighborhoods,  and  worthy  of  mention  was  the  active  piety  of 
Mr.  John  Young,  son  of  Deacon  Young,  then  a  student  in  Union 
College.  Corning  home  from  his  studies  in  a  vacation,  at  a  time 
of  revival  in  college,  with  a  heart  fresh  and  warm  with  the  love 
of  Christ  and  human  souls,  he  was  moved  to  converse  with  the 
young  people  on  matters  of  the  soul's  value  and  its  mighty  salva- 
tion, and  gather  them  in  school  houses  and  private  dwellings  for 
prayer,  singing  and  exhortation.  Many  were  moved  by  his  exam- 
ple and  influence  to  seriousness  and  care  for  the  one  thing  need- 
ful. This  young  man  afterwards  studied  for  the  ministry,  intend- 
ing to  become  a  missionary,  but  was  early  cut  down  in  the  midst  of 
a  most  promising  prospect  of  Christian  usefulness.  He  died  in  Vin- 
cennes,  la.,  August  15,  1825,  deeply  lamented. 

Said  Rev.  D.  D.  Gregory : 

Aaron  Putnam  was  loved  in  Owego,  and  won  many  souls  to 
Christ  during  his  five  years  labor  there.  It  was  said  of  him  that 
the  measures  he  advocated  in  Synod  were  sure  to  carry.  His  sun 
went  down  while  it  was  yet  day,  and  his  people  carried  him  to  his 
burial  and  made  great  lamentation  over  him. 

Rov.  Zenas  Rig-gs  was  pastor  for  eight  years  at 
Candor,  and  also  labored  in  West  Newark  and  New- 
field.  A  man  of  massive  frame,  lie  was  a  minister  of 
earnestness  and  vigor,  "always  struggling,"  as  Mr.  Greg- 
ory remarked,  "for  the  divine  blessing  and  never  satis 
fied  until  it  came."  He  was  fond  of  ecclesiastical  busi- 
ness, and  unfailing  in  attendance  ori  ecclesiastical  bodies 
and  active  in  their  proceedings.  Familiar  with  the 
rules  of  church  government  ami  discipline,  and  making 
much  of  them,  '"lie  passed,"  according  to  Mr.  Gregory, 
underthe  soubriquet  of  "Zenas  the  lawyer."     I  often 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  635 

met  him  in  Synod,  and  remember  him  well.  His 
giant  size  gave  him  prominence  in  an  assembly,  and  his 
active  movements  and  frequent  remarks  presented  him 
still  more  to  notice.  He  lacked  culture,  but  inspired 
respect  and  accomplished  good. 

Rev.  Ralph  Robinson,  son  of  Eliab  and  Lucy  Rob- 
inson, and  born  in  Scotland,  Windham  Co.,  Ct,  March 
12,  1780,  was  a  descendant,  of  the  fifth  generation,  of 
Rev.  John  Robinson,  pastor  of  the  Leyden-Plymouth 
Church,  a  portion  of  whose  people  came  to  New  Eng- 
land in  the  Mayflower.  His  family  removed  to  Dorset, 
Vt.,  where  the  son  labored  on  his  father  s  farm  until  his 
early  manhood.  Embracing  the  Saviour  and  publicly 
professing  him  in  the  twenty-third  year  of  his  age,  the 
year  after  he  began  study  for  the  ministry  under  his 
pastor,  Rev.  Dr.  William  Jackson,  working  for  his 
board  and  tuition.  In  1805  lie  was  admitted  to  the 
Sophomore  class  in  Middlebury,  and  graduated  from 
that  college  in  1808.  He  pursued  his  divinity  course 
under  Rev.  Holland  Weeks,  of  Pittsford,  Vt.,  aided  by 
the  first  Education  Society  formed  by  his  Preceptor. 
Licensed  to  preach  by  the  Rutland  Association  in  Feb- 
ruary, 1809,  he  spent  two  years  as  a  Home  Missionary 
in  Malone,  N.  Y.,  and  two  or  three  town-  of  Vermont 
Nov.  7.  LS10,  he  was  ordained  and  made  pastor  of  the 
two  churches,  Granville,  X.  Y..  and  New  Haven,  X.  Y.. 
and  here  he  continued  for  twelve  year.-  and  a  half.  In 
May,  L822,  he  took  charge  of  the  Congregational 
Ohurch  in  Marshall,  Oneida  county,  and  after  remaining 
there  for  five  years,  he  returned  to  New  Haven,  X.  Y., 
for  two  years,  supplying  Mexicoville  a  part  of  the  time. 


636  PRESBYTERIANISil  IN  THE 

In  1830  he  accepted  a  call  to  Pulaski,  and  labored  then; 
for  sixteen  years.  He  then  went  a  third  time  to  New 
Haven,  N.  Y.,  and  staid  for  seven  years  more.  For 
four  years  after  1864,  he  was  engaged  in  East  Mexico, 
N.  Y.,  and  for  the  immediately  following  year  in  Con- 
stantia,  where  he  completed  his  half  century  of  contin- 
uous ministerial  service,  during  the  whole  of  which  he 
was  disabled  for  not  more  than  one  or  two  Sundays. 
A  number  of  conversions  occurred  in  a  revival  of  religion 
during  the  missionary  period  of  Mr.  Robinson's  ministry, 
and  during  his  first  pastorate  there  were  revivals  at 
Granville  and  New  Haven  in  1814,  1816,  and  1821. 
Another  commenced  at  Marshall,  and  still  another  in 
1831  at  Pulaski,  which  kept  up  through  the  summer, 
and  in  1832-3  there  were  considerable  accessions  to  the 
church  there,  and  in  1840  a  deep  religious  interest  per- 
vaded the  town. — eighty  persons  uniting  at  one  time 
with  the  church. 

Mr.  Robinson's  theology  was  substantially  Ed  ward  - 
ean,  slightly  modified  by  the  unconditional  submission 
of  Hopkins  and  the  divine  efficiency  o(  Emmons.  The 
sovereignty  of  God  was  the  central  truth  of  his  system 
of  doctrine,  and  the  glory  of  God  his  chief  and  controll- 
ing thought.  The  Bible  was  the  source  from  which 
his  creed  was  drawn,  and  almost  the  one  book  which  he 
examined  for  it.  His  sermons  echoed  inspiration,  only 
modifying  its  utterances  by  delivering  them  in  system- 
atic order,  and  not  content  with  the  sounding  board  of 
the  pulpit  for  this,  he  made  much  use  of  classes,  and 
habitually  taught  by  them,  and  when  his  pastorates 
closed,  he  regularly  took  a  seat  among  learners  and 
did  his  utmost  to  aid  the  minister  o(  the  parish  in  his 
instruction  <>f  them. 


SYNOD  OF  VENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  637 

He  was  a  reformer,  too, — a  pioneer  indeed  in  temper- 
ance, abolitionism,  and  the  anti-tobacco  enterprise,  in- 
troducing, into  his  section  of  the  country  the  first  tem- 
perance pledge  in  1828-9,  and  active  in  banishing  liquor 
from  the  Association,  around  which  it  had  passed  at 
every  session  previously. 

He  was  active  for  the  church  at  large,  as  well  as  for 
his  own  congregation,  invariably  attending  the  meet- 
ings of  ecclesiastical  bodies  to  which  he  belonged,  and 
participating  in  their  proceedings  ;  and  he  also  advo- 
cated among  his  people,  and  by  pen  and  speech  else- 
where, the  various  schemes  of  christian  benevolence, 
and  contributed  to  them  according  to  his  means  ;  and 
with  a  view  to  their  treasury  and  likewise  to  interest 
his  children  in  them,  he  was  in  the  habit  of  constitut- 
ing these  honorary  members  of  voluntary  societies  and 
and  ecclesiastical  boards.  Several  ministers  of  the 
gospel  made  their  profession  of  faith  under  his  pastor- 
ships. 

Mr.  Robinson  did  not  betake  himself  to  repose  when 
he  retired  from  the  pastoral  care  lie  improved  every 
opportunity  for  doing  good,  supplying  vacant  pulpits 
and  destitute  congregations  and  relieving  disabled  min- 
isters, filling  his  place  in  Presbytery  and  Synod,  attend- 
ing assemblies  and  conventions  gathered  for  the  con- 
sideration of  public  questions  and  the  advancement  of 
public  interest.-,  seconding  tin-  settled  minister  in  whose 
congregation  he  resided,  attending  social  meetings, 
teaching  Bible  classes,  visiting  families,  calling  on  indi- 
viduals,   and   conversing    with    this    <>n<     and    that    one 

whom  he   happened  to  meet     For  a   vear  before  his 
death,  he  distributed  tracts  every  month  in  a  district  of 
B8 


638  PRESBYTERIANISM  IN  THE 

sixty-seven  families.  His  first  sermon  was  delivered 
February  1,  1809,  and  his  last  fifty-four  years  after, 
February  8,  1863.  He  died  May  14,  1863,  aged  83 
years  two  months  and  two  days.  No  pain  distressed 
him.  He  only  ceased  to  breathe.  His  decline,  how 
ever,  was  perceptible  for  several  days,  and  he  clearly 
recognized  it,  and  calmly  awaited  his  expiring.  The 
Sunday  before  his  death,  he  joined  with  a  few  friends 
in  the  remembrance  of  Christ,  and  when  the  hymns 
"  Rock  of  Ages,"  and  "  Jesus,  lover  of  my  soul,"  were 
sung,  he  exclaimed,  "  Grace,  grace,  from  the  foundation 
to  the  topstone  !"  Being  asked  if  he  had  a  word  for  the 
little  circle,  he  broke  forth  in  joyful  wonder  at  the  gos- 
pel salvation,  and  exhorted  all  to  trust  in  it  and  to  walk 
more  worthily  of  it.  His  zeal  for  the  cause  of  the 
Lord  would  express  itself  beyond  his  mortal  life,  and 
he  directed  that  his  funeral  expenses  should  be  kept 
down  to  the. lowest  possible  sum,  and  what  was  thus 
saved  should  be  given  to  benevolent  objects.  Particular- 
ly was  he  urgent  about  the  cost  of  his  coffin,  and  this 
was  reduced  enough  to  allow  the  contribution  of  $10 
to  Home  Missions. 

Mr.  Robinson  was  married  to  Anna  Weeks,  of  Salis 
bury,  Vt..  November  21,  1810.  His  venerable  wife 
with  three  sons,  two  of  them  ministers  of  the  gospel, 
survived  him.  In  a  minute  of  the  Presbytery  of  Os- 
wego, the  highest  testimony  is  borne  to  him  as  "a  pat- 
tern to  all,"  and  as  "enforcing  by  his  exemplary  life 
the  gospel  he  so  faithfully  dispensed,'5  while  a  sense  of 
greal  bereavemenl  is  expressed  a1  the  loss  of  one  who 
11  had  long  been  revered  as  a  Father  in  Israel.'" 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  639 

Rev.  James  Rodgers  was  born  at  Roxburyshire,  in 
the  South  of  Scotland,  1785,  and  labored  on  a  farm 
there  until  1819,  when  he  immigrated  to  this  country, 
and  settled  in  Hammond  Township,  a  section  of  St. 
Lawrence  county,  then  covered  by  a  dense  forest,  A 
number  of  Scotch  families  joined  him,  and  affected  by 
the  spiritual  destitution  of  the  community,  Mr.  Rogers 
opened  school-house  meetings.  Devotional  exercises 
alone^were  attempted  at  first,  but  soon  the  reading  of 
printed  sermons  was  introduced,  and  after  that  brief 
addresses  and  scripture  expositions,  which  gradually 
superseded  the  reading  of  sermons.  Half  of  Saturday 
for  awhile,  and  then  the  whole  of  it,  was  occupied  in 
preparing  for  the  Sunday  service,  and  the  neighbors 
took  turns  in  doing  the  lay  preacher's  work  on  the 
farm.  These  facts  becoming  known  in  the  vicinity,  the 
friends  of  religion,  and  particularly  Judge  Fine,  per- 
suaded Mr.  Rodgers  to  put  himself  under  the  care  of 
the  Presbytery  of  St.  Lawrence.  He  was  licensed  1>\ 
that  body  at  Canton,  March  23,  1 823,  and  ordained 
June  it.  1824  lie  continued  in  Hammond,  but  ex- 
tended his  labors  to  the  neighboring  towns,  and  organ- 
ized and  built  up  a  flourishing  church.  He  also, 
sionally  served  the  Second  Church,  (  tewegatchie,  formed 
L823,  and  settled  there  as  stated  supply  in  L827,  and  as 
pastor.  M;  i  \  13,  L839,  and  remained  untilJune  27,  I 
The  hard  work  in  his  early  life  in  Scotland,  and  the 
toil  and  exposure  of  his  immigrant  life,  began  now  to 
show  themselves  in  his  impaired  constitution,  and 
though  exerting  himself  still  to  the  utmost  of  bis 
strength,  and  frequently  preaching  here  and  there,  and 
excited   almosi   to   his  former  activity  in  the  revival  of 


640  PRESBYTERIAN  ISM  IN  THE 

1858,  he  gradually  broke  down,  often  suffering  excru- 
ciating torture,  hard  even  to  witness,  but  patiently 
borne,  and  finally  gave  way,  August  20,  1863.  in  the 
78th  year  of  his  age. 

Mr.  Rogers  was,  in  many  respects,  a  remarkable  mini. 
His  career  indicates  this.  With  nothing  but  a  com- 
mon school  education,  and  pursuing  manual  labor,  and 
associating  with  unlettered  farmers,  he  became  an  ac- 
ceptable, instructive  and  useful  lay  preacher;  and  after 
a  brief  special  preparation  for  it,  entered  the  gospel 
ministry,  and  prosecuted  it  with  signal  success.  Be 
must  have  had,  and  did  have,  great  determination  and 
force,  and  showed  excellent  judgment.  None  of  his 
professional  training  was  in  the  schools,  but  in  the  fam- 
ily, with  the  Bible  and  catechism  as  text  books,  and 
the  open  field  which  he  was  cultivating,  for  thinking. 
His  pulpit  power  was  the  Word  of  God,  which  he  in- 
cessantly searched,  and  whence  his  sermons  were 
brought  forth.  This  furnished  him  matter  and  spirit, 
supplemented  by  a  Christian  experience  with  which 
allliction  was  largely  concerned,  lie  dated  his  conver- 
sion from  his  14th  year,  and  a  consistent  life  and  a 
p  saceful  death  demonstrated  its  genuineness.  As  a 
loving  daughter  looked  on  his  last  sufferings,  she  could 
not  repress  the  word-.  "Poor  father!''  "Not  poor 
hither,"  he  replied;  "when  Christ  is  rich,  how  can  1 
be  poor?"  To  some  inquiries  he  answered,  "I  do  not 
tear  to  die,  and  have  no  desire  to  live."  He  had  asked 
for  the  reading  of  the  17th  chapter  of  the  gospel  of 
John,  and  awakening  from  a  slumber  into  which  he 
fell  immediately  after,  be  exclaimed,  "Oh,  that  weight 
of  glory!"     Be  breathed  his  last,    August   20,1863. 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  XEW  YORK.  641 

Mr.  Rogers  owed  much  to  his  wife,  Margaret  Hill, 
whom  he  married  in  1805,  and  who  for  fifty-five  years 
shared  his  life  and  contributed  largely  to  it.  She  was 
taken  from  him  by  accident  in  1860,  and  he  never  re- 
covered from  the  bereavement  and  shock.  Two  sons 
and  three  daughters  survive  him,  both  sons  ruling  elders, 
and  two  grandsons  are  preachers  of  the  gospel. 

Jonathan  M.  Rowland  came  from  a  clerical  fam- 
ily. Bom  in  Connecticut,  graduated  from  13owdoin 
College,  he  labored  for  seven  years  in  Union,  and  then 
undertook  the  city  mission  work  in  Brooklyn,  and  died 
in  the  midst  of  his  activity  and  usefulness. 

>me  account  of  the  tnbeof  Indians  whom  he  served 
is  requisite  to  a  knowledgeof  Rev.  John  Sargeant,  Jr. 
In  1735,  the  Legislature  of  Massachusetts  granted  a 
township  six  miles  square,  and  covering  what  are  now 
Stockbridge  and  Wesl  Stockbridge,  to  the  Bousatonic 
Indians,  (thereafter  called  Stockbridge  Indians).  The 
object  was  to  gather  them  together  the  better  to  civil- 
ad  Christianize  them.  A  school  house  and  church 
built,  and  Rev.  Johi  sent  a-  a 

missionary  t<>  them,  accompanied  by  Deacon  Timothy 
Woodbridge  as  schoolmaster,     Mr.   -  neda 

tutorship  li«'  was   holding    in  Vale  College,  and  w;i- 

dained  a1  Deerfield,  Mi  --..  Q  >v.  Belcher  and  a  com  mi  t- 

of  both   branches  <>f  tin-   Legislature,  and  a  I 
number  of  Indians,  being  present  on  the  occasion.     Be 
projected  a  manual  labor  Beminary,  winch  proved  pop- 
ular with    the    Indians,  and  was   much    favmvd    b)    tin- 
people  of  this  country   and   <  I  •    •    Britain.     Mr. 


642  PRESBYTER1ANISM  IN  THE 

geant  was  a  native  of  New  Jersey,  and  a  graduate  from 
Yale  College  in  1729,  and  died  July  27,  1749,  only  39 
years  old.  He  lived  to  see  his  wards  increase  from 
eight  or  ten  to  more  than  fifty  families,  living  in  framed 
houses,  and  very  good  farmers.  Eev.  Jonathan  Ed- 
wards, Sr.,  succeeded  Mr.  Sargeant,  but  January  4, 
1758,  left  for  the  Presidency  of  the  College  of  New 
Jersey,  at  Princeton,  and  died  there  the  March  follow- 
ing. Eev.  Dr.  Stephen  West  then  acted  as  missionary 
and  teacher  until  1775.  Prior  to  this,  the  Oneida  In- 
dians granted  the  Stockbridge  Indians  a  tract  of  land 
six  miles  square,  but  the  Kevolutionary  war  hindered 
its  occupancy.  These  Stockbridge  Indians  took  the 
American  side,  and  raised  a  company  of  "minute  men,'' 
who  subsequently  acted  as  rangers  in  the  vicinity  of 
Boston,  and  a  full  company  fought  under  Washington 
at  White  Plains.  The  General  ordered  a  feast  for  this 
tribe  at  the  close  of  the  war  in  consideration  of  their 
good  conduct,  and  an  ox  was  roasted  whole,  of  which 
the  men  partook  first  and  then  the  women  and  children. 
On  the  resignation  of  Dr.  West,  Eev.  John  Sargeant, 
Jr.,  took  charge  of  the  mission  and  the  school.  He 
was  the  son  of  the  first  missionary,  and  bore  his  name. 
His  education  was  received  in  New  Jersey,  but  in  his 
father's  family  he  became  familiar,  with  the  Stockbridge 
Indians  and  with  their  language.  In  1783  a  portion  of 
the  tribe  removed  to  New  Stockbridge,  N  Y,  and  in 
1785  another  portion,  and  all  the  remainder  in  1788. 
In  1785,  the  members  of  the  church  in  Old  Stockbridge, 
sixteen  in  number,  formed  another  church  in  New 
Stockbridge,  the  tribe  numbering  420.  Mr.  Sergeant 
was  installed  pastor,  and   divided  his  time  between  his 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  643 

parish  and  his  family,  which  remained  in  Massachu- 
setts. In  J  796  he  made  his  sole  residence  next  to  New 
Stockbridge,  on  a  plot  of  land  one  mile  square,  granted 
to  him  by  the  State,  and  here  he  died,  September  8, 
1824,  aged  77  years. 

Eev.  John  Adams  Savage,  D.  D.,  son  of  Abraham 
and  Mary  (Adams)  Savage,  was  born  in  Salem,  Wash- 
ington county,  N.  Y.,  October  9,  lbOO.  He  graduated 
from  Union  College  in  1822,  and  studied  theology  pri- 
vately while  teaching  academies  in  Delhi  and  Auburn. 
In  1825  he  was  licensed,  and  in  1827  ordained  by  the 
Washington  county  Associate  Reformed  Presbytery, 
and  settled  at  Fort  Covington.  In  1832  he  was  called 
to  Ogdensburg,  and  remained  there  for  twenty  years, 
prosecuting  a  faithful  and  successful  ministry,  and 
growing  to  the  last  in  the  esteem  of  the  church  and  of 
the  community.  In  1850  he  was  persuaded  to  accept 
the  Presidency  of  Carroll  College,  Waukesha,  AY  is. 
The  institution  was  so  infantile  when  he  took  charge 
of  it  that  he  may  he  considered  its  parent,  and  bv  the 
most  assiduous  nurture  he  brought  it  up  to  the  stature 
and  vigor  of  youth.  Of  unquestioned  piety  and  of 
great  excellence,  he  never  spared  himself  in  his  work, 
and  died  at  Waukesha,  December  18,  1864,  prema 
turely  worn  out.  One  who  knew  him  well,  remarked  at 
his  funeral  that  la-  had  taken  no  rest  for  a  quartei  of  a 
century;  and  he  was  described  by  another  as  "a  man  of 
great  sagacity,  integrity  and  benevolence,  a  man  of  deep 
piety  and  excellence  of  character,  an  able  and  instruc 

tive  preacher,  a  good  and  useful  man." 

Dr.  Savage  married    Eliza  Turner,  of  Salem.  N.  Y.. 
who,  with  several  children,  survived  him. 


644  PRESBYTERIAXISM  IN  THE 

Rev.  Moses  Coleman  Searle,  son  of  Joseph  and 
Mary  Coleman  Searle,  was  born  in  By  field,  Mass., 
September  17,  1797.  He  completed  his  literary  educa- 
tion at  the  college  of  New  Jersey,  1821,  and  his  theo- 
logical education  at  Princeton  Seminary,  1824.  Li- 
censed by  the  Presbytery  of  New  Brunswick,  he  was 
ordained,  September,  1826,  and  installed  pastor  of  the 
church  in  Grafton,  Mass.,  and  removed  to  Bradford,  in 
the  same  State,  in  1832.  Called  to  New  Hartford, 
N.  Y.  in  l,v35,  he  remained  there  until  1845,  and  was 
then  stated  supply  at" Dorset,  Vt,,  and  Haverhill,  N.  H. 
In  lbol  he  accepted  the  District  Secretaryship  of  the 
American  and  Foreign  Christian  Union  for  Central 
New  York,  and  in  1859  was  settled  at  Boweii's  Prairie, 
Iowa,  and  in  1865  removed  to  Bvlield,  Mass.,  where 
he  died  of  jaundice,  December.  10,  1865. 

He  married  Mary  Ann  Smith,  of  Brooklyn,  who, 
with  a  daughter  and  three  sons, — one  of  them,  Wm.  S. 
Searle,  M.  D..  a  prominent  physician  in  Troy, —  sur- 
vived him. 

A  more  excellent  man  and  a  more  sincere,  humble. 
devout  and  earnest  Christian,  is  not  enrolled  among  the 
ministry  of  Central  New  York.  He  was  widely  and 
favorably  known  as  a  pastor  and  as  an  active  participa- 
tor in  the  proceedings  of  our  Judicatories,  and  still 
more,  by  the  circuit  he  performed  in  behalf  of  the  in- 
teresting and  important  cause  he  specially  advocated. 
Precious  memories  of  him  are  cherished  in  a  multitude 
of  breasts.  Of  a  good  mind,  well  furnished  and  disci- 
plined, his  power  was  mainly  drawn  from  a  sanctified 
heaii  and  his  prevalence  with  God. 


iSYNOD  OF  VENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  645 

Rev.  John  Jay  Slocum  was  a  native  of  this  State 
and  a  student  at  Andover  for  one  year,  in  the  class  of 
1833.  His  first  settlement,  1834-1839,  was  in  the 
Presbyterian  Church  of  Manhattan  Island.  From  1840 
to  1844,  he  was  stated  supply  at  Manlius,  and  then  at 
Boonville,  Mo.,  1844,  and  at  Salina,  N.  Y.,  1850.  He 
acted  as  an  agent  from  1851  to  1855,  and  lived  without 
charge,  at  Chicago,  in  1856,  and  then  went  to  New 
York,  where  he  died  in  1 862. 

A  man  of  talent  and  activity,  and  earnestly  enlisted 
in  the  work  of  establishing  and  extending  the  kingdom 
of  God  on  earth,  the  visible  results  of  his  labors  were 
not  particularly  noticeable,  and  he  cannot  be.  pronoun- 
ced highly  successful.  Of  fine  person  and  manners, 
and  in  perpetual  motion,  it  might  have  been  presumed 
that  much  would  be  accomplished  by  him. 

Rev.  Elizub  Goodrich  Smith  graduated  from  Yale 
College  in  1832, — having  among  his  classmates  Rev.  Drs. 
Edward  Beecher,  Borace  Nelson  Brinsmade,  William 
Croswell,  Timothy  Stillman,  John  Todd,  Thomaa  Ed- 
ward Vermilye,  Jared  Bell,  and  Harvey  Prindle  Peet, 
LL.  D.  February  2,  L829,  he  took  charge  of  the 
church  in  Ogdensburg,  but  ill  health  and  family  afflic- 
tion constrained  him  to  demil  it  three  years  after,  and 
be  returned  to  the  Mast,  whence  be  came.  Be  was 
much  esteemed  and  greatly  prospered  in  bis  parish. 
During  the  latter  pari  of  his  Btay,  Drs,  {>   S.  Boardman 

and  John    A   Savage  assisted    him  in  a    protracted  meet 

in",  and  hm\  united  with   the  church,—  most  of  them 
on  examination. 


I 


646  PRESB  TTER1A N1SM  IN  THE 

Kev.  John  Smith  was  licensed  by  the  Presbytery  of 
New  Brunswick,  and  April  29,  1811,  ordained  by  the 
Presbytery  of  Oneida  and  set  over  the  church  in  Coop- 
erstown,  being  the  second  pastor  there,  and  the  successor 
of  Dr.  Isaac  Lewis.  President  Carnahan,  then  of  Utica, 
delivered  the  sermon,  and  Revs.  Messrs.  Oliver,  Snowden, 
Wetmore  and  Conkey,  took  other  parts  in  the  installa- 
tion. Here  he  remained  for  twenty-four  years,  diligent 
in  his  parish  and  active  in  his  wider  ecclesiastical  rela- 
tions. He  served  as  stated  clerk  of  the  Presbytery  of 
Otsego  from  its  organization  in  1819  to  his  removal 
from  within  its  bounds  in  1S35, — a  period  of  sixteen 
years,  and  was  always  busy  in  the  proceedings  of  that 
body.  Though  not  a  man  of  mark, — not  particularly 
intellectual  nor  greatly  gifted  in  any  respect,  he  was 
gentlemanly  in  his  instincts  and  deportment,  and  blame- 
less and  pure,  and  so  strong  was  the  attachment  to  him, 
that  a  portion  of  the  congregation  left  the  church  when 
he  felt  constrained  to  resign  his  charge  of  it,  and  formed 
a  second  church  in  the  village.  On  removing  from 
Cooperstown,  Mr.  Smith  went  to  Chemung  or  Steuben 
countv,  and  labored  as  his  years  and  strength  allowed, 
fresh  in  the  interest  he  felt  for  the  church  of  (rod  as  in 
his  early  youth. 

Rev.  John  Kim.kv  Smith,  son  of  Rev.  John  Smith, 
the  second  pastor  of  Cooperstown,  bom  in  his  fathers 
parish,  L815,  was  graduated  from  Eamilton  College  in 
1  s;; 4,  and  from  Auburn  Seminary  in  L838.  Immedi- 
ately after  leaving  Auburn,  he  was  appointed  tutor  in 
his  alma  mater  at  Clinton,  and  the  year  after  Professor 
of  Latin  and  Greek.     In  this  office  he  died,  1843,  only 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  647 

twenty-eight  years  old.     President  Fisher  spoke  of  him 
thus: 

His  brief  life  was  that  of  a  bright  star,  clouded  long  before  it 
had  reached  the  meridiac  Full  of  talent,  original,  impulsive, 
warm  in  his  affections,  his  soul  full  of  sweet  harmonies,  and  ac- 
complished, not  only  in  his  own  department,  but  in  the  science  of 
music,  he  went,  ere  he  had  reached  the  full  ripeness  of  years,  to 
join  that  sacred  throng  who  know  no  discords,  but  whose  lives 
are  an  unceasing  harmony,  a  glorious  psalm  of  praise  to  him  who 
loved  them  and  washed  them  in  his  own  blood. 


Kev.  Samuel  Flnley  Snow  den,  son  of  Isaac  Snow- 
den,  was  born  in  Philadelphia,  and  took  the  highest 
honors  in  his  class  at  the  College  of  New  Jersey, — six 
of  his  brothers  graduating  from  the  same  institution, 
and  his  father  wishing  them  all  to  enter  the  ministy. 
Mr.  Snowden  was  a  licentiate  of  the  Presbytery  of  New 
Brunswick,  and  the  firsl  pastor  settled  in  Princeton, 
N.  J.,  where  he  remained  for  many  years.  In  1S02  he 
accepted  a  call  to  New  Hartford,  Oneida  county,  N.  Y., 
and  the  arrangements  for  liis  installation  were  made  bv 
tin;  Presbytery  of  Oneida  at  the  first  meeting  after  its 
organizatioa  Rev.  Jedediah  Chapman,  of  Geneva, 
presided,  Rev.  John  Lindly,  of  Ovid,  preached  the  ><  r- 
mon,  and  Rev.  [saac  Lewis,  of  Cooperstown,  delivered 
the  charge  t<>  the  minister  and  people  When  Dr. 
Lewis  was  dismissed  (1805)  to  bake  charge  of  thechurch 
in  Goshen,  Orange  county,  Mi-.  Snowden  succeeded 
linn  as  .-iat«d  clerk,  and  remained  in  office  until  his 
own  dismission  (1816)  to  take  charge  of  the  church  at 
Sachets  Barbor.  The  minutes  kept  by  him  are  a 
model  of  Legibility,  neatness  and  orderliness,  and  worthy 

of    the    attention  of   all  called  to  Ins  functions.       lie    re- 


648  PRESB  YTERIANISM  IN  THE 

mained  at  Sackets  Harbor  about  ten  years,  and  then 
removed  to  Brownville,  where,  in  the  71st  year  of  his 
age,  he  died  suddenly,  as  he  had  often  expressed  the 
wish  he  might  die.  The  positions  he  held  and  the 
length  of  time  for  which  he  held  them  sufficiently  in- 
dicate his  ability  and  faithfulness,  and  his  great  ele- 
gance of  person  and  manners  were  his  introduction  to 
circles  of  refinement,  without  separating  him  from  the 
uncultivated  and  humble.  The  advantage  he  thus 
possessed  particularly  fitted  him  for  his  pastorate  at 
Sackets  Harbor,  where  a  considerable  military  force 
was  then  stationed,  and  where  he  was  highly  accepta- 
ble to  both  officers  and  soldiers  and  very  useful  among 
them.  One  of  his  daughters  was  married  there  to  Cap- 
tain Joseph  S.  Gallagher,*  distinguished  for  his  piety 
and  Christian  activity  while  in  the  army,  and  still  more 
for  his  worth  and  efficiency  in  the  ministry,  which  he 
afterwards  entered. 

Mr.  Snowden  married  Susan  Bayard  Breese,  daugh- 
ter of  Sidney  Breese,  of  Shrewsbury,  N.  J.  She  had 
two  sisters,  one  of  whom  was  the  mother  of  Samuel  F. 
B.  Morse,  and  the  other  the  mother-in-law  of  President 
Woolsey,  of  Yale  College. 

*  Just  as  this  passage  was  indited,  a  lurid  flash  telegraphed  Mr. 
Gallagher's  death,  after  a  protracted  illness,  at  his  home  in  Bloom- 
field,  N.  J.  He  had  blessed  the  people  there  by  a  long  pastorate 
some  years  ago,  and  gave  it  up  to  go  to  the  rescue  of  the  Union 
Theological  Seminary,  New  York,  then  in  a  critical  condition 
financially.  Hie  skill  and  constancy  did  much  to  save  it,  and 
largely  contributed  towards  procuring  the  munificent  endowment 
by  which  it  has  been  enriched.  He  was  a  genial,  lovable  man,  as 
well  as  an  earnest  Christian  and  an  efficient  minister. 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  649 

Kev.  Peter  Snyder,  son  of  Peter  P.  and  Gbistiana 
Snyder,  was  borne  in  Schoharie,  N.  Y.,  October  18, 
1814.  He  spent  the  first  part  of  his  collegiate  course 
at  Williamstown,  bat  graduated  from  Union  in  1836. 
His  first  year  of  theological  study  was  spent  at  Prince- 
ton, and  the  last  two  years  at  the  Union  Seminary, 
New  York.  Licensed  by  the  New  York  Third  Pres- 
bytery, in  1839,  he  was  ordained  in  1840  by  Rockaway 
Presbytery,  and  supplied  the  Whippanj  Church,  N.  J.t 
nearly  two  years.  For  the  following  two  years  he  was 
engaged  in  the  church  at  New  Eochelle,  and  after  that 
in  Cairo,  Greene  county,  and  closed,  by  death  from  con- 
gestion of  the  lungs,  a  ministry  of  sixteen  years,  in  the 
Second  Church,  Watertown,  December  13,  1863. 

His  wife,  Marcia  M.  Perfield,  and  three  of  five  chil- 
dren survived  him. 

Rev.  Dr.  Win.  E.  Knox,  of  Elmira,  one  of  his  pre- 
decessors in  Watertown,  and  an  intimate  friend,  de- 
scribes him  as  "  in  many  respects  a  remarkable    man"  : 

Born  nearly  blind,  a  surgical  operation  in  his  youth  so  far  re- 
lieved his  visual  defect  that  he  was  able  to  read  with  the  aid  of 
powerful  lenses  magnifying  the  page  bo  as  to  bring  a  word  or  two 
into  view  at  a  time.  His  eyes  never  served  him  in  the  use  of  the 
pen,  nor  could  he  discern  the  features  of  the  human  countenance. 
He  was  nevertheless  quick  to  recognize  his  acquaintances,  and 
moved  about  among  his  congregation  with  the  utmost  facility. 

He  was  a  thorough  scholar,  with  a  special  aptitude  for  studies 
in  moral  science,  and  the  higher  metaphysics.  His  reading  was 
extensive  and  his  memory  retentive.  Few  men  were  better 
versed  in  the  current  literature  and  news,  and  none  more  devoted 
heart  and  soul  to  the  moral,  religions,  educational  and  patriotic 
movements  of  the  day. 

Never  using  his  own  or  another's  pen  in  preparing  for  the  pul- 
pit, his  discourses  WON   always    Systematic,  well  digested  and    in 
structive,  thoroughly   evangelical,   ami  animated   by   the  evident 
F3 


650  PRESBYTERIAN  ISM  IN  THE 

purpose  of  benefiting  his  bearers.  No  occasion  that  justly 
claimed  his  services  ever  found  him  unready.  He  was  as  much 
at  home  on  the  platform  as  in  the  pulpit,  and  his  logical  and  rhe- 
torical capabilities  did  no  discredit  to  any  emergency.  When  a  few 
years  ago,  during  an  exciting  canvass,  Gov.  Horatio  Seymour,  of 
New  York,  addressed  the  citizens  of  Watertown  on  the  issues  of 
the  day,  the  Maine  Law  question  being  the  most  prominent,  Mr. 
Snyder  was  one  of  his  most  appreciative  listeners,  and  was  imme- 
diately afterwards  announced  for  a  reply.  His  known  ability 
drew  as  large  an  audience  to  the  public  hall  as  had  greeted  his 
distinguished  opponent,  and  the  masterly  way  in  which  he  dissec- 
ted the  gubernatorial  essay,  and  laid  bare  its  sophisms,  more  than 
satisfied  his  hearers,  and  is  among  the  things  that  Jefferson  county, 
New  York,  temperance  men  like  to  tell  of  to  this  day. 

Mr.  Snyder  was  a  faithful  and  successful  pastor,  and  in  this 
particular  (where  so  many  of  his  brethren  fail)  he  was  not  a  whit 
behind  his  reputation  as  a  preacher  and  speaker.  So  active  were 
his  habits  that  his  own  congregation  could  not  bound  his  labors. 
The  whole  village,  indeed  the  county,  was  his  parish.  He  be- 
came a  minister  to  all  who  had  no  other;  there  was  no  poor  family 
that  did  not  count  him  a  friend,  and  far  and  wide  was  he  sent 
for  to  preach  funeral  sermons,  to  deliver  dedication  discourses,  to 
make  Sabbath  school,  temperance  and  other  addresses,  his  motto 
bring,  "The  man  and  occasion  that  want  me  are  the  ones  that  I 
want."  He  was  a  regular  attendant  at  ecclesiastical  meetings, 
counting  it  as  marked  an  inconsistency  in  ministers  to  be  absent 
from  these  gatherings  as  in  church  members  to  be  absent  from 
the  weekly  prayer  meeting.  He  was  a  frequent  delegate  from 
Utica  Synod  to  the  Black  River  Conference,  and  the  writer  has 
often  heard  the  Methodist  brethren  refer  to  the  interest  his  ap- 
pearance and  earnest  salutations  excited,  and  the  demands  sure  to 
be  made  upon  him  for  addresses  on  missionary  topics  and  speeches 
to  the  children.  Though  a  thorough  Calvinist,  and  strongly  at- 
tached to  his  own  church,  he  carried  within  his  slender  frame  a 
.soul  of  liberality  and  charity  too  large  to  be  confined  to  denomi- 
national boundaries.  His  optical  infirmity  and  delicate  physical 
organization  doubtless  aided  his  fine  intellectual  and  moral  quali- 
fies iu  securing  for  him  so  marked  a  personal  interest  throughout 
the  community  in  which  he  lived  and  moved.  It  is  presumed  he 
never  had  an  enemy.     Though  a  man  of  positive  and  clearly  de- 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  651 

fined  views  on  all  subjects,  and  firm  as  a  rock  where  principle  was 
concerned,  yet  such  was  his  guilessness  of  manner,  his  transpar- 
ent goodness  and  integrity,  that  it  seemed  as  impossible  for  him 
to  give  as  to  take  offence.  He  was  manifestly  the  friend  of  all, 
and  all  the  community  were  his  friends. 

His  last  work,  and  that  which  contributed  to  exhaust  his 
strength,  ever  overtasked  by  his  self-denying  labors,  was  that  of 
providing  a  new  house  of  worship  for  his  congregation.  It  is 
matter  of  gratitude  that  he  was  spared  to  see  this  undertaking 
put  beyond  the  reach  of  hazard,  as  it  is  doubtful  whether,  under 
the  circumstances,  any  other  perr-on  could  have  prosecuted  it  to  a 
successful  result.  May  the  church  edifice,  whose  foundations  are 
already  laid  on  Stone  street,  long  stand  his  fitting  memorial. 

His  end  was  worthy  of  his  life.  Conscious  to  the  last  moment, 
he  waited  the  summons  to  depart  with  perfect  composure  and  as- 
surance. He  was,  he  said,  "about  to  enter  upon  employments 
for  which  he  hoped  he  was  adapted."  When  asked  if  he  had  any 
request  to  make,  he  replied  that  '  his  entire  work  was  done;  he 
had  none  to  make." 

Elihu  Spencer,  D.  D.,  was  bora  in  East  Iladdam, 
Ct.,  February  12,  1721,  and  graduated  from  Yale  Col- 
lege in  1746.  In  1748-9  he  undertook  a  mission  to 
the  Oneida  Indians  at  Windsor,  Broome  county,  but 
discouraged,  he  returned  to  the  East,  and  was  a  distin- 
guished pastoral  Elizabethtown,  N.  .!..  from  L750  t<> 
1756,  and  afterwards  a1  Si.  1 1  Del.,  and  finally 

at  Trenton,  N.  J.,  from  L7<>9  until  bis  death,  December 
27,  1784. 

Rev,  Theodore  Spencer,  was  a  son  of  Chiel  Jusi 
Ambrose  Spencer,  born  in  Eudson,  N.  Y..  Am;'  24, 
1800.  lbi  studied  for  a  time  at  Yale  College,  but 
was  sent  from  there  n»  Wesl  Point,  with  a  view  to 
Ins  entering  the  army.  A  brother,  a  promising  young 
officer,  l'»'ll  on  our  frontier  during  the  war  ^i   1812, 


652  PRESBYTERIAN  ISM  IN  THE 

and  it  was  desired  that  lie  should  take  his  place. 
But  Mr.  Spencer  inherited  a  taste  and  aptitude  for  the 
law,  and  resigned  his  cadetship  and  first  read  in  the 
office  of  Hon.  Thomas  R  Gold,  of  Whitestown,  and  af- 
terwards in  the  office  of  Hon.  Mynclert  Vosburgh,  of 
Kinderhook.  Admitted  to  practice,  Mr.  Spencer  began 
it  at  Auburn,  and  rapidly  advanced  in  it,  and  at  an  early 
ago  was  appointed  district  attorney  of  the  county. 
While  filling  this  office  he  was  brought  to  a  knowledge 
of  himself  and  the  Saviour  under  the  preaching  of  Mr. 
Finney  and  Dr.  Lansing,  and  united  with  the  First 
Church,  Auburn,  and  was  soon  chosen  a  ruling  elder. 
The  beginning  of  his  Christian  life,  was  the  beginning 
of  his  Christian  activity.  He  commenced  labors  for  the 
salvation  of  others  at  once.  He  conversed  with  them, 
addressed  conference  meetings,  and  went  out  to  neigh- 
boring districts  to  speak  in  school  houses  and  wherever 
else  assemblages  could  be  gathered.  But  this  did  not 
content  him.  He  would  not  divide  his  time  and 
strength,  and  abandoning  the  Bar,  he  prepared  for  the 
Pulpit  Licensed  and  odained  by  the  Genesee  Congre- 
gational Association,  he  preached  at  Geneseo,  and  was 
settled  in  the  second  church,  Rome,  and  organized  and 
supplied  a  Congregational  Church  in  Utica,  which  dis- 
banded on  his  leaving  it.  His  loss  of  voice  had  pre- 
cluded public  speaking,  but  he  substituted  conversation 
for  sermons,  and  reached  a  larger  number  than  most 
preachers.  His  parlor  was  turned  into  a  sanctuary,  and 
many  of  the  most  intelligent  people  of  the  city,  and  from 
all  denominations,  sought  instruction  from  him.  He 
had  conceived  a  theory  of  conversion,  containing  some 
peculiarities,  which  he  applied   with  great  power  and 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  (J53 

effect,  and  no  pastor  in  Utica  or  elsewhere  more  com- 
pletely swayed  their  hearers.  In  accordance  with  his 
mental  habit,  he  systematized  the  exercises  of  the  soul 
in  conversion,  and  arianged  them  in  one  single  order  of 
succession  and  in  distinctly  separate  stages.  He  got  his 
cue  from  Hopkinsianism,  and  especially  insisted  that  a 
perfect  submission  and  consecration  to  God  should  pre- 
cede everything  else,  and  that  faith  should  follow  at  an 
interval.  He  prepared  a  brief  pamphlet  on  the  subject 
for  distribution  among  inquirers,  and  when  unable  even 
to  converse  with  companies,  he  devoted  several  years 
to  the  composition  of  a  volume  upon  it,  but  by  the 
time  it  was  published,  he  obviously  lost  zeal  for  its  cir- 
culation. Without  his  avowing  it,  he  changed  his 
views.  He  saw  the  danger  to  which  he  exposed  him- 
self and  his  followers, — the  danger  of  stopping  at  sup- 
posed submission  and  consecration,  and  not  going  on  to 
believing, — the  danger  of  legalism  at  the  expense  of 
faith, — the  danger  of  a  religion  of  duty,  leaving  Christ 
out.  Most  certainly  the  law  lost  the  preeminence  in 
his  own  experience,  and  the  Saviour  was  put  in  its 
place. 

Kegaining  his  strength  somewhat,  Mr.  Spencer  a<  - 
cepted  the  Secretaryship  of  the  Home  Missionary  Soci- 
ety forCentral  New  York,  and  filled  it  with  distinction. 
Not  satisfied  with  gathering  funds,  he  was  a  bishop  for 
the  feeble  churches,  and  looked  after  them  with  a  shep- 
herd's watchful  and  tender  eye.  The  draft  up<n  him 
was    too   great,  however,  and    with  strength    exli;ius!e<l 

again,  he  laid  the  office  down.     For  twelve  <>r  fourteen 

years  he  was  disqualified  for  labor,  and  for  the  last  six 

months  of  his  life  he  suffered  excruciating  pain,  -bul 


654  PRESBYTER1AN1SM  IN  THE 

who  can  describe  his  nearness  to  the  Saviour  and  his 
enjoyment  of  him.  My  previous  intercourse  with  him 
had  been  familiar  and  confidential,  and  I  had  before 
been  called  to  pass  with  him  through  the  most  trying 
seenes  of  his  life.  Freely  received  to  his  chamber  and 
held  to  his  deathbed,  even  with  the  torture  borne  there, 
it  seemed  the  ante-room  of  heaven,  and  I  could  easily 
think  myself  communing  with  a  redeemed  saint. 

Mr.  Spencer's  mental  characteristic  was  an  unsurpass- 
ed keenness,  and  power  of  analysis,  and  the  character- 
istic of  his  moral  constitution  was  force,  and  persistence 
of  will.  'He  was  the  son  of  Ambrose  Spencer,  and  in- 
herited these  traits  from  him,  and  the  brother  of  John 
C.  Spencer,  he  shared  them  with  him.  Conversion  made 
him  as  set  on  religious  objects  as  he  had  been  on  worldly. 
He  was  intense  as  a  Christian  as  he  bad  been  as  a  man. 
This  gave  him  a  severe  aspect  to  ordinary  vision,  and 
to  many  of  his  acts  an  appearance  of  harshness, — but  no 
warmer  or  tenderer  heart  ever  beat  in  a  human  bosom. 

Mr.  Spencer  was  twice  married:  first,  October  28, 
1823,  to  Catharine,  daughter  of  Hon.  Myndert  Vos- 
burgh,  with  whom  he  studied  law  at  Kinderhook,  and 
second,  July  9,  1857,  to  Rebecca  Hill,  widow  of  Dr. 
Ball,  of  Boosick  Falls.  His  early  manhood  was  cloud- 
ed by  the  death  of  a  daughter  of  Judge  Jonas  Piatt,  of 
Whitestown,  to  whom  he  was  affianced,  and  the  shadow 
of  it  was  never  effaced,  though  it  left  no  gloom  upon 
him.  Subtracting  nothing  from  the  affection  of  a  full 
hearl  which  he  gave  to  his  wives,  nothing  of  what  he 
gave  her  was  abated  to  the  last. 

His  death  occurred  at  Utica,  July  14,  1870.  Three 
sons   are    living. — Dr.   Ambrose  S.  Spencer,  of   Utica. 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  '     655 

Myndert  Vosburgh  Spencer,  Dental  Surgeon,  and  Wm. 
C.  Spencer,  M.  D.  Surgeon  in  the  United  States  Army, 
with  the  rank  of  Major. 

Bev.  William  II.  Spencer,  son  of  John  and  Eliza- 
beth Spencer,  was  born  in  Madison,  Ct,  October  13r 
1818,  but  was  brought  at  an  early  age,  with  his  parents, 
to  Livingston  county,  N.  Y..  andtgrew  up  to  youth  and 
early  manhood  in  the  village  of  Mt.  Morris.  His  fath- 
er's circumstances  and  death  made  him  largely  depend- 
ent on  his  own  exertions;  but  set  on  an  education,  and 
after  his  conversion  on  the  gospel  ministry,  he  com- 
pleted his  preparation  for  college,  and  graduated  with 
high  honor  from  the  University  of  New  York,  and 
1  the  three  years  of  theological  study  at  Auburn 
Seminary.  Before  he  completed  his  course  in  divinity, 
he  was  called,  1S44,  to  the  First  Presbyterian  Church 
in  Utica,  one  of  the  most  prominent  and  responsible 
charges  in  *  the  Stan-.  Men  like  President  Carnahan, 
Henry  Dwight  and  Dr.  Samuel  C.  Aiken  had  held  it, 
and  nothing  but  the  urgency  of  the  people  and  the 
counsel  of  good  advisors  induced  him  to  tread  in  their 
steps.  The  circumstances  of  the  church  at  the  time 
were  also  forbidding.  It  had  suffered  the  calamity  of 
a  deposed  pastor,  and  also  a  la  lent 

on  the  election  and  installation  of  an  unacceptable  pas- 
tor, and  a  division  of  sentiment  had  likewise  soon  en- 
sued among  the  remnant  wi.  by  him,  and  he 
had  just  retired  Leaving  no  little  distraction  behind  him. 
Mr.  Spen  ith,  in  part  perhaps,  awakened  inter- 
est in  him,  and  so  created  Bympathy  inthecongn 
tion,  bringing   them    together   by  bringing  them  about 


666  PRESBYTERIANISM  IN  THE 

him.  And  he  was  peculiarly  adapted  to  win  favor  and 
affection, — of  fine  appearance  and  natural  and  cordial 
manners  and  great  personal  magnetism,  and  unstinted 
devotion  to  whatever  he  undertook,  while  his  sermons, 
carefully  prepared  and  earnestly  delivered  in  the  pleas- 
antest  of  tones  and  with  the  utmost  artlessness  of  ac- 
tion, had  an  unobstructed  passage  to  opened  hearts. 
Thinking  that  he  had  carried  the  reparation  of  the 
church  as  far  as  was  practicable  for  him,  and  of  the 
enterprising  temperament  which  delights  in  the  forma- 
tive periods  of  communities,  he  looked  to  the  west  for 
a  more  promising  and  congenial  field,  and  in  1850, 
went  to  the  First  Presbyterian  Church  in  Milwaukee. 
Besides  the  zealous  attention  he  gave  to  his  parish,  he 
took  into  view  his  denomination  in  the  State,  and  dis- 
cerning the  loss  and  injury  it  suffered  from  an  arrange- 
ment that  combined  it  with  Congregationalism  in  what 
was  known  as  the  "  Convention  of  Wisconsin,1'  he  set 
himself  to  the  organization  of  distinctively  Presbyte- 
rian Judicatories,  and  had  the  satisfaction  of  being 
seated  as  a  Commissioner  to  the  General  Assembly 
which  met  at  Syracuse,  and  to  have  bis  ecclesiastical 
policy  thus  endorsed  and  adopted  by  that  body.  The 
breadth  of  his  vision  generated  a  taste  for  wide  fields, 
and  appointed  Secretary  of  the  Assembly's  Committee 
of  Publication,  he  removed  his  home  to  Philadelphia, 
and  vigorously  engaged  in  this  office.  It  was  at  the  in- 
ception of  the  enterprise,  and  the  unavoidable  difficul- 
ties encountered  then  were  too  exciting  and  exacting 
with  him,  and  needing  quieter  work,  he  returned  to  the 
pastorate,  and  first  settled  at  Rock  Island,  111.,  and  then 
went   to   the   Westminster  Church,  Chicago.     Matters 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  657 

there  were  coming  into  a  desirable  shape,  .when  gan- 
grene of  the  liver  was  developed  in  him,  and  in  four 
months,  February  10,  1861,  he  was  consumed  by  it. 
The  disappointment  to  him  in  being  withdrawn  from 
the  work  he  was  successfully  prosecuting,  and  in  which 
he  had  put  his  whole  being,  was  afflicting  beyond  ex- 
pression, but  no  murmur  escaped  him  and  no  rebel- 
liousness was  felt  by  him.  When  the  imminence  of 
death  was  announced,  three  da}Ts  before  its  occurrence, 
no  alarm  for  himself  was  shown.  Indeed,  he  over- 
looked himself,  in  regard  for  his  family  and  his  church. 
Called  to  notice  himself,  he  spoke  with  the  full  assur- 
ance of  faith.  He  repeatedly  requested  the  singing  of 
favorite  hymns,  "There  is  a  fountain  filled  with  blood," 
"  How  sweet  the  name  of  Jesus  sounds  in  a  believer's 
ear,"  saying,  "I  shall  sing  in  my  home  to-morrow." 
Sometimes  he  would  exclaim,  "  Meet  me  in  glory." 
"  The  Lord  is  gracious  and  merciful."  "  So  bright !  all 
so  bright !"  Being  asked  if  the  Saviour  was  near  to 
him,  sustaining  him,  he  replied,  "Veryl  \<r\  !"  Look- 
ing at  those  about  his  bed-side,  be  exclaimed,  "  What 
crowds  of  friends!"'  Bis  passion  for  souls  was  Btrongin 
death.  Askedby  a  friend,  "Do  you  know  me?"  he  an 
swered,  "  I  have  known  yon  long,  but  not,  I  think,  as  a 
Christian,"  and  he  then  preached  Christ  and  him  cruci- 
fied to  him  Many  of  his  people  gathered  in  Borrow  at  his 
bed  -i'l'1  when  he  was  breathing  his  last,  and  there  his 
young  family  st<>"d  and  wept  Sis  consciousness  and 
►n  remained  until  he  expired,  and  Ins  speech  in  a 
measure.  II-  addressed  parting  •  orda  to  all, and  while 
an  elder  led  the  kneeling  company  in  prayer,  he  often 
ejaculated  a  fervenl  amen,  and  the  word   was  pai 


658  PRESBYTERIANISM  IN  THE 

his  lips  when  they  were  sealed  by  death.  His  wife, 
Almira  Hopkins,  daughter  of  Mark  Hopkins,  and  a 
son  and  one  of  two  daughters,  survive  him. 

Mr.  Spencer  was  endowed  with  superior  powers  and 
attractions.     Tall  and  well   filled  out,  his  carriage  and 
tread   were  lithe  and  vigorous,  and   his  face  pleasing. 
His  heart  transcended  his  intellect,  and  more  character- 
istically   distinguished    him.     It   was   as  natural    and 
fresh  as  a  child's,  and  as  warm  and  tender  as  a  woman's. 
He  never  thought  of  guile  or  disguise,  and  entered  as 
fully  into  the  feelings  of  others  as  into  his  own.     There 
was  nothing  he  would  not  give  and  do  for  a  beneficiary 
or  a  friend.     He  identified  himself  with  any  cause  he 
embraced,  and  would  exhaust  his  strength   and  means 
in  promoting  it,  and  every   church  of  which   he  was 
overseer  commanded  all  he  was  and  all  he  had,  often 
to  the  robbing  of  himself.     He  delighted  to  spend  and 
be  spent  for  a  congregation,  or  his  denomination,  or  an 
enterprise.     The   wider   the   expanse   over    which    he 
spread,  the  greater  his  gratification.     His  fondness  for 
activity  in  public  affairs  prevented  his  close  application 
to  study.     His  sermons  were  popular  and    profitable, 
l)ii  1    more  the  effusion  of  hasty   reading  and  thought, 
than    of    profound    investigation    and    reflection,    and 
largely  the  expression  of  his  own  experience  and  emo- 
tions.     Perhaps  his  earliest  were  his  best,   for  he  was 
most  concentrated    upon   them,  and   they   indicate  the 
rank  in  tin'  pulpit  to  which  he  must  have  attained  had 
he  kept  up  his  close  application   in  preparing  them. 
He  was  a  ready  Bpeaker,  and  effective  in  his  discussions 
and  impromptu  addresses,  and  in  remarks  at  social  ser- 
vic  !S  and    funeral   occasions.      Seldom    is  a  minister  so 
deeply  and  extensively  lamented. 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  659 

Kev.  Benjamin  Beeakly  Stockton  was  connected 
with  a  New  Jersey  family  of  prominence  both  in  Church 
and  State.  He  was  born  in  Ilacketstown,  Jan.  81, 
1790,  the  son  of  Dr.  Benjamin  Brearly  and  Sarab 
Howell  (Arnett)  Stockton,  and  brought  up  in  the  nur- 
ture and  admonition  of  the  Lord.  He  showed  talent 
in  early  life,  and  after  a  thorough  academic  education, 
was  admitted  to  Middlebury  College,  and  graduated 
from  it  in  1809.  He  passed  through  Andover  Semi- 
nary, and  was  licensed  and  ordained  by  the  Presbytery 
of  Oneida  in  1812.  He  traveled  extensively  over  the 
United  States  as  a  popular  preacher,  and  settled  at 
Skaneateles,  Palmyra,  Pompey,  Camillas,  Le  Roy, 
Montgomery,  Brock  port,  Geneseo,  and  Phelps.  In 
1858  he  removed  to  Jersey  City,  and  the  year  after  to 
Williamsburg,  L.  L,  where  he  gradually  declined  until 
Jan.  10,  1801,  when  he  fell  asleep  in  the  arms  of  his 
Saviour.  Of  excellent  and  cultivated  understanding, 
of  high  spirit  and  sensitive  feelings,  he  was  courteous, 
genial  and  vivacious,  and  the  renewing  and  sanctifying 
influence  of  the  Spirit  added  holiness  to  his  natural 
gifts  and  graces,  and  to  bis  various  acquisitions,  lie 
enjoyed  the  ministry,  and  was  happy  in  exercising  it, 
even  when  his  outward  man  was  perisbing  day  by  day. 

Rev.  William  Stone  wasa  Dative  of  Guilford,  Ct 
lie  served  as  a  soldier  in  the  revolutionary  war,  and 
then  entered  Yale  College  and  graduated  in  17m;,  with 
Rev.  Isaac  Clinton,  one  of  the  early  ministers  m  the 
northern  part  of  this  field,  and   Rev.  Dr.  Asa  Billyer, 

one.  of    the  early  missionaries  to   this  region,  among   his 

fifty  classmates,     lie  was  licensed  by  the  New  Haven 


660  PRESBYTERIANISM  IN  THE 

Association,  and  afterwards  receiving  ordination,  he  la- 
bored at  Windsor  between  1791  and  1795,  and  before 
or  after  in  Otsego  county,  and  later  in  life  removed  to 
Sodas,  Wayne  county,  and  died  there  at  an  advanced 
age.  There  is  no  record  of  his  ever  sustaining  the  pas- 
toral relation,  and  no  particulars  of  his  character  and 
ministerial  life  are  preserved. 

Rev.  William  L.  Strong,  son  of  Adonijah  and  Ab- 
igail Strong,  was  born  in  Salisbury,  Ct,,  Oct,  18,  1782. 
He  graduated  at  Yale  College  in  1>13,  and  studied  di 
vinity  with  President  Dwight  The  New  Haven  Asso- 
ciation licensed  him  to  preach,  and  in  1814  the  Tolland 
Association  ordained  him,  and  installed  him  bishop  of 
the  church  in  Sorners,  Ct.  He  continued  in  this  rela- 
tion for  twenty  five  years,  and  then  lived  and  labored 
for  five  years  at  Redding,  Fairfield  county,  Ct,  For 
ten  years  after,  he  had  charge  of  the  church  in  Vienna, 
Ontario  county,  N.  Y.,  when  an  affection  of  the  eyes 
and  the  infirmities  of  age  constrained  him  to  la)'  aside 
pastoral  care.  He  then  made  it  his  home  in  Fayetteville, 
N.  Y.,  where,  August  31,  1859,  an  attack  of  dysentery 
overcame  him,  and  devout  men  carried  him  to  his  bu- 
rial. He  was  a  man  of  large  frame  and  solid  mind, — 
the  best  of  counsellors,  of  much  influence  with  his  breth- 
ren and  a  pillar  of  the  eliuivh, — one  of  the  class  to 
whom  men  turn  when  perplexed,  or  alarmed,  or  in 
doubt,  and  on  whom  they  depend  and  in  whom  they 
confide.  An  utter  stranger  t<»  artifice,  and  with  no  ['re- 
tension  or  show,  he  was  looked  up  to  widely  and  leaned 
upon,  and  when  he  died,  a  genuine  prince  and  a  really 
great  man  died  m   Israel. 


8YN0B  OF  CENTRAL  SEW  YORK.  661 

Rev.  Charles  Stuart  was  taken  under  the  care  of 
the  Presbytery  of  Oneida,  at  Utiea,  February  1,  1^25, 
and  licensed  at  Clinton  the  11th  of  May  following.  He 
preached  as  a  missionary  in  the  Northern  part  of  the 
State,  but  was  never  installed  nor  ordained.  lb-  was  a 
retired  half  pay  captain  in  the  British  army,  and  had 
seen  extensive  service,  particularly  in  India  He  lived 
in  I'tica,  and  was  principal  of  the  academy  then-  and 
teacher  in  the  First  Church  Sunday  school,  and  assist- 
ant superintendent  and  the  children's  friend  generally, 
and  a  laborer  in  every  good  causa  Thomas  W.  Sew- 
ard,  Esq.,  speaks  of  him  as  "  the  most  remarkable  man 
it  h;id  been  his  fortune  to  know*' : 

To  say  that  lie  was  eminently  pious,  actively  benevolent,  un- 
surpassedly  kind,  rigidly  austere  and  wildly  eccentric,  is  to  give 
but  a  faint  idea  of  what  lie  really  was.  He  had  all  the  virtues 
that  adorn  humanity  seemingly  in  excess.  It  is  not  strange, 
therefore,  that  he  was  regarded  as  a  fanatic  by  most  people.  His 
eccentricities  were  a  part  of  the  growth  that  comes  of  the  highest 
religious  culture.  His  tender  heartedness  was  that  of  a  woman, 
and  yet  no  one  ever  more  relentlessly  vindicated,  when  occasion 
required,  the  majesty  of  offended  law  by  prompt  and  stern  pun- 
ishment. Of  course,  this  man  was  the  children's  friend.  They 
felt    that    he  belonged    to  them.     In   spirit,  he,  t«  child. 

How  they  would  flock  around  him.  How  they  clung  to  him. 
They  made  him  the  willing  partner  of  their  joys  and  Borrows, and 
of  their  sports  as  well.  The  hour  before  the  opening  of  morning 
school  at  the  Academy  was  usually  one  of  hilarious  mirth,  in 
which  then-  ffas  no  sport  too  boisterous  for  him  to  engage  in. 
Often,  of  a  Saturday  afternoon,  I  have  known  him  to  marshal  the 
Academy  boys  in  mimic  warfare,  on  the  open  common  which  DOW 

makes  Chancellor  Square.     It  was  indifferent  to  him  whether  he 

took  the  part  of  leader,  private  or  musician.  The  hardships  of 
his  early  soldier  life  in  India  had  doubtless  much  to  do  with  his 
asceticism  of  habit.  Hut  he  made  it  subservient  to  the  great  end 
always  held  steadfastly  in  new.      His  rooms  in  the  Academy  were 


662  I'liESBYTERIANISM  IN  THE 

as  scantily  furnished  as  the  cell  of  an  anchorite.  His  bed  was  a 
pallet  of  straw,  but  the  air  was  always  redolent  of  the  breath  of 
flowers. 

Mr.  Stuart  formed  a  girls'  society,  the  account  of 
which  may  suggest  schemes  to  other  minds.  It  met 
weekly  at  the  houses  of  the  members  in  rotation.  Its 
exercises  consisted  principally  of  written  answers  to 
questions  previously  propounded  by  Mr.  Stuart.  These 
were  compared  with  one  another,  and  if  not  satisfactory , 
answers  of  his  own  were  substituted  for  them,  and  the 
accepted  or  amended  answers  were  transcribed  in  her 
book  by  each  girl.  One  of  these  books  happened  to 
be  preserved,  and  on  examination  it  proved  to  record 
about  an  hundred  questions  and  answers,  and  proved  a 
tolerably  complete  compendium  of  Christian  duty. 
This  exercise  was  followed  by  something  light,  espe- 
cially music,  and  the  whole  concluded  with  simple  re- 
freshments. Immediately  before  separating,  a  medal 
was  given  to  the  girl  whose  answer  and  deportment 
won  it,  and  she  wore  it  for  the  following  week. 

Erastus  Clark,  Esq.,  sketches  Mr.  Stuart's  appearance 
and  manner,  as  he  met  him  at  the  decline  of  life  : 

As  I  stepped  down  from  my  desk  and  went  towards  him,  I 
thought  I  had  never  seen  a  finer  face.  There  was  no  lack  of  force 
in  it,  but  in  combination  with  the  force,  and  dominating  it,  was  a 
rare  gentleness  and  love.  His  manner  was  very  affectionate.  He 
l)le<s<-d  me,  and  called  on  God  to  bless  me,  and  spoke  of  my 
mother,  who  wTas  gone,  and  of  my  sister  at  the  South,  and  ex- 
pressed the  hope  that  my  sister  here  and  I  were  doing  what  we 
could  for  Christ,  and  for  the  poor  and  oppressed  whom  Christ 
loved  The  impression  his  face  made  upon  me  was  very  strong. 
His  presence  brightened  the  room. 

The  irradiate  ga/e  with  which  he  seemed  in  prayer  to  behold 
the  mercy  seat,  was  no  mere  fancy. 


8YN0D  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  6H3 

John  F.  Seymour,  Esq.,  remark- : 

Not  many  years  ago,  when  he  was  praying  at  the  house  of  Mr. 
Arthur  Tappan,  one  of  the  servants  observed  his  countenance, 
an  1  afterwards  told  her  mistress  that  his  face  was  like  an  angel's, 
looking  up  into  heaven. 

Rev.  John  Tompkins  was  bom  at  Vernon,  Oneida 
county,  in  1816,  and  educated  at  Hamilton  College  in 
the  class  of  1838,  and  at  Auburn  Seminary  in  the  class 
of  1841.  He  was  ordained  in  1842,  and  settled  at  Mar- 
cell  us,  where  he  died  on  the  twenty-fifth  anniversary  of 
his  installation.  The  permanency  of  his  pastorate  in  a 
church  trained  by  Levi  Parsons,  sufficiently  denotes 
and  demonstrates  his  talents  and  faithfulness.  He  was 
plain  in  his  appearance,  stout  and  hardy,  showing  the 
invigorating  habits  of  his  early  life,  unpretending  but 
sufficiently  self -asserting,  and  more  anxious  for  the  ben- 
efit of  his  people  and  the  plaudit  of  his  Lord,  than  for 
the  praise  of  men.  The  community  and  his  fellow 
yters  shared  in  the  confidence  reposed  in  him  and 
the  esteem  felt  lor  him  by  his  own  parishioners. 

Re  .  Solomon  Ja<  kson  Tract  was  bom   in  Mi 
chusetts  and  graduated  from  Williams  I 
He  was  ordained  March  10,  1830,  and  settled  in  Nassau, 
N.  V..  from   1830  to  L 833,  and  acted  as  stated  supply 
for  the  third  church.  Troy,  from  1833  to  1836,  and  for 
tli"  Free  Church,  Bartford,  Ct,  in  1836, and  in  Canaan 

tre  during  1836   L 837,  and  in  North  Cornwall, 
during    L837    1838,    and    in    Fly   I  V  V..  during 

1840   L841,and  in  Springfield  from  1841  to  1*54,     the 

last    a  Longer    space   than    any  of    his   pro;  had 

continued    in  tin-  service  «»f   the  lasl  mentioned  church. 


6<H  PRESBYTER1AN1SM  IN  THE 

Daring  his  ministry  here  the  inside  of  the  house  of 
worship  was  painted  for  the  first  time,  the  aisles  were 
carpeted,  the  pews  remodeled  and  various  other  im- 
provements made.  The  Sabbath  school  was  also  more 
perfectly  organized  and  much  magnified,  and  most  and 
best  of  all,  a  precious  revival  was  enjoyed.  The  lon<>- 
draft  upon  him  now  reduced  Mr.  Tracy  t<>  the  point  of 
exhaustion,  and  he  thought  to  recuperate  himself  by  an 
interval  of  rest,  and  October,  1854,  he  sought  leave  to 
retire  from  his  charge.  He  still  lives  among  the  people 
for  whom  he  last  labored,  "esteemed  very  highly  in 
love  for  his  works'  sake." 

Rev.  John"  Truair  of  English  birth,  was  "a  good 
man  and  full  of  the  Holy  Ghost  and  of  faith,  and  much 
people  was  added  unto  the  Lord"  through  his  ministry . 
He  labored  in  Sherburne  from  1815  to  1819.  and  two 
hundred  converts  united  with  the  church.  October  16, 
1819,  he  was  received  by  the  Presbytery  of  Oneida 
from  the  Union  Association,  and  the  same  day  it  was 
resolved  to  make  application  to  the  Synod  of  Albany 
to  set  off  ministers  Andrew  Oliver,  John  Smith,  Eli  F. 
Cooley,  John  Truair,  John  R  St.  John,  Jesse  Miner 
and  Silas  Parsons,  and  the  churches  of  Springfield. 
Cooperstown,  Cherry  Valley,  Milford  and  Eaton,  to 
form  the  new  Presbytery  of  Otsego.  In  1820  he  was 
called  to  Cherry  Valley,  and  "  his  pastorate,"  as  the 
present  incumbent  of  his  place  remarks,  "though  of 
than  two  years,  was  a  timeof  extraordinary  growth; 
forty-six  persons  were  admitted  to  the  church  in  the 
fall  of  the  year  In*  came,  and  one  hundred  and  twenty 
the  next     Traces  of  his  activity  are  seen  in  the  fre- 


SYNOD  OF  CEN1RAL  NEW  YORK.  ()(>f) 

quency  with  which  he  assembled  bis  efficient  session, — 
thirty-eight  sittings  being  held  in  the  year  and  three- 
quarters  while  be  was  pastor,  and  sometimes  as  many 
as  six  in  a  single  month.  lie  was  seized  with  great 
zeal  to  save  the  godless  seamen  of  New  York,  and  his 
vehemence  is  exhibited  in  the  fervent  and  argent  rea- 
soning of  a  long  letter  he  recorded,  when  beseeching 
permission  to  withdraw  to  undertake  a  work  among 
that  unpromising  class,  to  which  be  had  received  an 
earnest  summons,  and  for  which  his  rugged  eloquence 
no  doubt  eminently  fitted  him.  His  request  was  most 
reluctantly  consented  to."  "The  pastoral  relation  was 
dissolved  March  24.  1822.  and  on  the  following  Sunday 
he  celebrated  his  last  communion  with  the  people  who 
prized  him  so  well,  eight  being  then  added  to  the 
church,  making  one  hundred  and  seventy-four  in  all 
under  him,  and  swelling  the  whole  list  to  four  hun- 
dred." "He  was  perhaps  the  most  zeaL  >us  and  certainly 
the  most  successful  of  the  ministers  the  church  had  en- 
joyed." "  He  was  educated,  talented  and  full  of  vim, — 
of  excessive  activity,  of  great  and  persuasive  powers  as 
a  speaker,  and  so  successful  in  bringing  souls  to  Christ 
as  to  merit  comparison  with  preachers  of  the  type  of 
Mr.  Moody."  "He  had  the  restless,  untiring  spirit  of 
an  evangelist  and  successful  harvester  of  souls,  for 
which  the  seed  had  been  planted  by  faithful  predeces- 
sors." 

Rev.  Daniel  Van  Valkenbergh,  son  of  James  and 
Elizabeth  (McCombs)  Van  Valkenbergh,  was  born  at 
Manheiui.  Eerkimer  county,  January  3,  L805.  Befit- 
ted  for  College  at    Bartwick    Seminary,  and   entered 


666  PRESBYTER1AN1SM  IN  THE 

Union  and  graduated  from  it  in  1824.  He  took  his 
theological  course  at  Auburn,  completing  it  in  1827, 
and  was  licensed  bv  Cayuga  Presbytery  and  ordained 
by  Oneida.  His  ministry  of  thirty-six  years  was  exer- 
cised at  Evans  Mills,  Richfield  Springs.  Mexico,  Taberg, 
Exeter,  and  closed  in  Springfield,  where  he  was  set  lied 
April,  1<S~>7 ',  and  where  he  died  of  inflammation  of  the 
bowels,  November  24,  1864.  He  was  twice  married. — 
first,  to  Mary  Weber,  of  Richfield,  and  second,  to  Julia 
F.  Tracey,  of  Norwich,  Ct,,  who,  with  six  children, 
survived  him. 

Rev.  P.  F.  Sanborne,  the  present  pastor  of  Spring- 
field, speaks  of  him  as  "esteemed  there  and  beloved 
until  his  death,''  and  says  : 

Mr.  Van  Valkenbergh  is  remembed  as  a  man  of  more  than  ordi- 
nary intellectual  ability,  whose  sermons  commanded  the  attention 
of  the  thoughtful,  and  who  never  dismissed  a  congregation  unfed. 
He  delighted  to  discuss  the  knotty  points  in  theology,  and  make 
clear  abstruse  and  difficult  subjects.  His  was  a  logical  mind,  un- 
imaginative, and  rarely  dealing  in  figures  and  illustrations.  The 
common  hearer  would  call  him  dry  and  dull,  while  the  dryness 
and  dullness  were  a  part  of  themselves.  In  conversation  he  was 
reticent,  unless  in  company  with  his  peers,  but  with  them  he  was 
more  than  ordinarily  genial  and  communicative  Few  were  con- 
verted during  his  ministry,  while  all  were  enlightened  and  built 
up  in  truth  and  righteousm  se 

Another  has  said : 

As  a  theologian,  he  was  thoroughly  read,  systematic  and  able, 
strictly  Calvlnistic,  rigidly  orthodox,  and  yet  sufficiently  bending 
to  accommodate  himself  to  the  fraternising  spirit  of  the  age, 
without  compromising  the  truth.  As  a  preacher  he  was  faithful, 
direct,  clear,  not  shunning  to  declare  the   whole  counsel  of  God." 

His  appearance  was  thai  of  the  student, — spare  and 
stooping  in  form,  and  neglectful  of  style  in  manner 
and  dress, — denoting  a  man  familiar  with  hooks,  but  a 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  gfi  « 

stranger  to  society.     His  person  did  not  indicate  his  in- 
tellect, and  his  bearing  depreciated  it. 

KobePwT  George  Vermilye,  D.  D.,  was  born  in  the 
city  of  New  York,  March  8,  1813, — the  son  of  Wil- 
liam W.  Vermilye,  of  Huguenot  ancestry,  and  of 
Mary  Montgomery,  of  combined  Dutch  and  Irish  pa- 
rentage He  graduated  from  Columbia  College  in 
1831,  at  a  high  grade,  with  Pev.  Dr.  Haight  and  Ham- 
ilton Fish  among  his  classmates.  Immediately  after, 
he  was  appointed  a  teacher  in  the  grammar  school,  and 
in  1837,  when  only  twenty-four  years  "Id,  adjunct  to 
Professor  Anthon  in  the  department  of  Latin  and 
Greek.  For  much  of  the  period  of  his  teaching  in  the 
college,  he  studied  theology  under  the  general  direction 
of  his  pastor  and  other  clerical  friends,  and  took  less 
in  Hebrew  from  a  Jewish  Rabbi.  In  1838,  he  was 
licensed  by  the  Presbytery  of  New  York,  and  for  a 
winter  supplied  the   pulpit  of  Dr.  :  Potts  in   the 

Duane  St.  Church.      In  L843,  he  resigned  his  prof, 
ship   for  the4  charge  of  German   Valley   Church,    \ 

v.  and  three  years  after  went  to  Clinton,  the 
of  Hamilton  College  His  eight  years  of  teaching 
qualified  him  for  usefulness  in  tin/  Board  of  Trus 
of  this  institution,  of  which  he  was  chosen  a  member, 
and  in  intercourse  with  the  faculty  and  students,  while 
in  the  pulpit  and  palish  he  acquitted  himself  with 
greal  vigor  and  prudence,  and  won  the  confidence  and 
mi  of  the  community,  and  the  warm  affection  of 
his  congregation  lb'  declined  invitations  to  Catski  11 
and  Kinderhook,  but  was  induced,  1857,  to  take  the  chair 
of  Theology  iii  East  Windsor  Seminary.     Herehes|>ent 


( )  I  ;,S  PRESB  YTElil A  NI8M  IN  THE 

the  hist,  eighteen  years  of  his  life,  admired  and  beloved 
by  bis  classes,  and  in  full  sympathy  and  cooperation 
with  his  associates  in  the  Faculty  and  with  the  Board 
of  Directors.  Neglecting  no  duty  in  his  study  and 
•  •lass-room,  but  devoted  to  his  work  there,  he  was  active 
abroad,  concerting  and  prosecuting  measures  for  the 
advantage  and  advancement  of  the  institution,  busy 
with  the  interests  of  the  church  generally  and  of  reli- 
gion, and,  with  scarcely  the  intermission  of  a  Sunday, 
filling  pulpits  near  and  remote.  About  two  years  be- 
fore his  death,  an  affection  of  the  heart  developed  it- 
self, producing  severe  pain  at  times,  with  difficulty  of 
breathing  and  great  weakness,  but  amidst  all,  he  strove 
to  keep  up  his  part  in  the  Seminary.  He  spent  a  win- 
ter in  Florida,  but  proposed  on  his  return  to  give  the 
omitted  recitations  and  lectures.  The  progress  of  his 
disease  was  hastened  by  domestic  afflictions.  A  dear 
sister,  who  had  taken  the  place  of  their  deceased  mother 
to  his  three  children,  sickened  and  died  :  and  then  his 
daughter  Anna  followed  her  aunt,  borne  suddenly  away 
by  a  paroxysm  of  the  same  disease  from  which  he  was 
suffering.  Broken  down  beyond  the  hope  of  recovery, 
he  said,  k'  If  it  were  the  Lord's  will,  I  should  like  to 
die  as  Anna  died,  and  soon."  His  wish  was  gratified 
Only  a  month  intervened  between  his  daughter's  de- 
parture and  his  own.  and  he  passed  away  as  suddenly 
as  she.  Saturday,  duly  3,  1875,  he  rode  out  Sunday 
the  4th,  he  was  more  comfortable  than  usual,  though 
wry  weak.  A  call  from  him  at  midnighl  brought  his 
daughters  and  a  clerical  friend,  who  had  been  his  pupil, 

to  his  bedside,  and  there  he  lay  in  excruciating  torture, 
but  iii  perfect  consciousness.      He  turned  his  eye  to  his 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  669 

daughters,  and  called  them  by  name, — the  utmost  ex- 
pression of  feeling  he  could  make  at  the  time.  Awak- 
ening from  a  slight  slumber  into  which  he  afterwards 
fell,  he  asked  his  friend  to  pray,  and  when  the  prayer 
was  concluded,  he  said,  "  And  now,  oh  m}-  Saviour, 
keep  me  in  life  or  death.  I  commit  myself  to  thee.'1 
Soon  after  he  asked  to  be  raised  up,  and  as  he  was 
raised  up,  his  eyes  closed  and  his  breathing  ceased. 

Before  his  family  were  fully  settled  in  their  new 
home  in  German  Valley,  Dr.  Yermilye  was  bereaved  of 
his  wife, — Anna  Maria,  daughter  of  Gen.  McCartj,  of 
New  York — and  never  married  again.  His  sister  Mar- 
garet took  the  charge  of  his  household,  and  was  the 
tenderest  and  wisest  of  foster  mothers  to  his  three 
daughters.  It  was  a  sweet  scene  his  home  presented, 
delightful  to  witness  for  the  affectionateness  and  order- 
liness displayed. 

I  count  it  my  happiness  to  have  been  on  terms  of 
particular  friendship  with  Dr.  Yermilye,  from  the  time 
of  his  settlement  in  Clinton  to  his  removal  from  earth. 
I  put  restraints  on  myself  in  speaking  of  him,  that  my 
words  may  not  transcend  the  narrowest  limits  truth  can 
lav  down.  He  was  a  gentleman  by  natureand  by  edu- 
cation. The  best  of  associations  had  re  lined  and  culti- 
vated him;  and  in  appearance  and  manners  and  senti 
ments  and  intelligence,  lie  fitted  and  adorned  the  high- 
est  circle.  There  was  a  propriety  in  him  thai  never 
offended  the  most  delicate  taste,  and  an  integrity  and 
honorablenesa  and  good  sense  thai  made  one  safe  and 

at  ease    with    him.       He    was  of   t  he  ordi  n:ir\    size,  of  ;i 

neat  figure,  well  dressed,  with  a  comelj  face  of  fresh 
color,  and   an  animated  look.     Modest,  but  unembar 


f)70  PRESBYTERIANISM  IN  THE 

rassed,  he  was  a  free  and  agreeable  conversationist  in 
private  and  in  general  society;  not  witty,  or  humorous, 
or  brilliant,  but  vivacious,  and  most  apt  to  talk  on  min- 
isterial themes  and  social  and  public  events  and  affairs. 
Eis  mode  of  conducting  worship  was  unexceptionable, 
and  his  sermons  were*instructive  rather  than  hortatory, 
well  reasoned  but  not  much  illustrated,  and  delivered 
with  spirit.  Addressing  the  understanding  more  than 
the  conscience  and  the  heart,  he  convinced  his  hearers, 
but  did  not  so  much  impress  and  convict  and  stir  them, 
lie  prepared  the  way  for  conversion  better  than  he  ef- 
fected it.  His  sense  of  propriety  was  particularly  keen 
in  the  sanctuary,  and  he  could  tolerate  nothing  in  the 
services  there  that  partook  of  coarseness,  or  eccentricity, 
<>r  disorderliness.  His  doctrinal  views  were  after  the 
straitest  sect  of  Calvinists,  though  his  preaching  was 
not  eminently  doctrinal.  He  was  constitutionally  more 
a  -live  than  studious,  and  enjoyed  a  part  in  religious 
bodies  and  an  attendance  on  public  occasions,  and  wras 
apt  and  skillful  in  their  proceeding. 

Tt  was  a  pleasant  surprise  to  hear  of  him  as  near  my 
winter  home  in  Florida,  but  a  painful  surprise  to  see 
him.  1  visited  him  from  time  to  time,  and  occasion- 
ally had  him  among  my  hearers  in  a  village  church, 
but  his  doom  was  too  manifest  for  concealment  Never 
was  our  intercourse  more  delightful.  Illness  had  spir- 
itualised as  well  as  thinned  and  paled  and  enfeebled 
him;  and  while  still  hopeful  of  living,  and  anxious  to 
return  to  his  classes,  the  doubtfulness  of  this  projected 
him  much  into  the  world  beyond,  and  imparted  to  him 
something  of  its  halo,  ami  he  breathed  something  of  its 
atmosphere.     We  took  the  steamer  together  when  he 


SYXOD  OF  CENTRAL  XEW  YOBK.  () ,  { 

left  Palatka,  where  he  had  been  staying-,  and  T  waited  on 
him  with  his  daughter,  his  only  companion  on  his  long- 
journey  from  and  to  the  North  ;  and  as  we  parted 
on  the  St.  Johns  at  Tocoi,  he  for  a  short  visit  at  St. 
Augustine,  and  I  to  proceed  to  Jacksonville,  the  assur- 
ance that  I  was  never  to  see  him  again,  produced  the 
sadness  felt  on  returning  from  the  burial  of  a  friend. 

Rev.  John  William  Ward  was  born  m  this  State, 
and  graduated  from  the  College  of  New  Jersey  in  1821, 
and  studied  two  years  in  Princeton  Seminary.  Ib- 
spent  seven  years  as  pastor  with  the  church  in  Union, 
and  for  the  remainder  of  his  ministry  was  with  the  Re- 
formed Church  in  New  Prospect,  and  with  the  Re- 
formed Church  in  Red  Ilook.  Rev.  D.  D.  Gregory  de- 
scribes his  preaching  as  "remarkable  for  its  awakening 
and  converting  power.  There  were  constant  ingather- 
ings under  his  labors.  Many  aged  people  have  long 
been  accustomed  to  speak'  of  him  as  their  spiritual 
father." 

Rev.  Klxatii.w  Walker  was  born  in  Taunton, 
Mass.,  and  graduated  from  Brown  University,  lb'  be- 
gan  to  preach  in  Homer  at  the  close  of  Imis,  and  was 
called  to  the  pastorate  July  26,  Is'",).  and  ordained  and 
installed  the  following  October,  by  the  Middle  Associa- 
tion. He  was  "a  man  <»f  fine  presence  and  dignified 
bearing,  tall  and  erect,  easy  and  graceful  in  his  move 
rnents  and  gestures,  of  fair  complexion  and  light  hair, 
with  clear  grey  eyes,  looking  through  spectacles,  which 
he  constantly  wore,  and  dressed,  when  he  firel  went  to 
Homer,   in  the  old  style,    with  short    breeches,    long 


672  PRESBYTER1AN1SM  IN  THE 

stockings  and  knee  buckles."  His  death  occurred 
June  4,  1820,  greatly  to  the  sorrow  of  the  congregation 
and  the  town,  and  his  funeral  drew  an  assemblage  of  two 
thousand  people,  as  was  estimated,  and  eleven  ministers 
officiated  at  it.  His  pastorate  was  eminently  prosper- 
ous, though  not  wholly  exempt  from  the  usual  trials, 
the  church  increasing  its  membership  from  99  to  427. 
He  baptized  108  adults  and  508  infants.  Precious  re- 
vivals were  granted,  one  in  1812-13,  (adding  188  to 
the  list  of  communicants,  and  among  them  fifteen 
couples  of  husbands  and  wives,  and  most  of  the  entire 
number  adults) ;  another  in  1816,  increasing  the  mem- 
bership by  136;  and  still  another,  of  quite  remarkable 
origin,  in  1820,  and  in  the  midst  of  which  he  was 
stricken  down  by  excessive  care  and  labor,  and  soon 
died. 

An  obituary  notice,  prepared,  it  is  supposed,  by  Dr. 
Lansing,  states: 

Mr.  Walker  possessed  an  assemblage  of  amiable  qualities.  He 
was  a  man  of  real  politeness  and  good  breeding,  frank,  mild  and 
hospitable.  As  a  Christian,  he  was  diligent  and  exemplary.  He 
was  of  a  remarkably  pacific  disposition,  and  excelled  in  meekness, 
forbearance  and  good  will  to  war  Is  those  who  differed  from  him. 
As  a  minister,  he  set  an  example  of  prudence,  patience  and  fidelity. 
He  firmly  advocated  the  doctrines  of  grace,  and  preached  them 
plainly,  and  cheerfully  and  decidedly  bore  testimony  to  them  on 
his  death  bed. 

Rev.  Daniel  Waterbury  was  a  native  of  this  State, 
and  graduated  from  Onion  College,  in  1  SIS,  and  from 
Princeton  Seminary  three  years  after,  lie  settled  in 
Franklin,    Delhi,    Batavia    and    Warsaw,   and   died   in 

1838.     Of    fine  abilities,    well    educated,    industrious, 
conscientious,  and  of  an    excellent  disposition    and   SU- 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  673 

perior  judgment  and  Christian  earnestness  and  consist- 
ency, he  not  only  met  the  requirements  of  the  congre- 
gations he  served,  and  secured  their  strong  attachment, 
but  also  commanded  the  high  respect  and  full  confi- 
dence of  the  community,  and  was  the  trusted  counsellor 
and  instructor  of  his  ministerial  brethren. 

Some  record  is  made  of  William  Raymond  Weeks, 
D  D.,  on  a  preceding  page.  Further  particulars  may 
be  added  to  it.  He  was  the  son  of  Ebenezer  and  Eu- 
nice (Griswold)  Weeks,  and  born  at  Brooklyn,  Ct, 
August  6,  1783.  His  father  was  a  farmer,  and  in  1791 
removed  to  Steuben,  Oneida  county,  where  the  son  la- 
bored in  clearing  and  tilling  land.  Apprenticed  after- 
wards to  the  printer's  trade,  he  worked  at  it  in  Whites- 
boro  and  Lansingbtirg.  Experiencing  religion  in  a  re- 
vival under  the  preaching  of  Rev.  Jonas  Coe,  of  Troy, 
his  heart  was  turned  toward  the  ministry  :  and  preparing 
for  college  under  his  cousin,  Rev.  Holland  Weeks,  of 
Pittsford,  Vt,  he  entered  Nassau  Hall,  and  graduated 
from  it  in  1809,  ami  spenl  the  following  six  months  as 
tut  of  there.      lie  studied   theology    with    his  cousin,    at 

Pittsford,  and  also  for  one  year  ;it  Andover.  Licensed 
l>\  a  Wniiont  Association,  he  preached  in  Eebron,  N.  Y.. 
1811,  and  in  1812  was  ordained  by  the  Presbytery 
of  Albany  and  placed  over  the  church  in  Plattsburg. 
Resigning  in  lsl4,  he  spenl  a  pear  in  Albany  look- 
ing for  a  charge.  In  L815,  he  went  to  Litchfield, 
(South  Farms)  Ct.,  where  the  pc.ple  wished  him  to  be 
their  pastor,  hut  the  Association  declined  to  install  him 
on  aceount  of  his  differing  somewhat  from  their  doc- 
trinal creed.      Hi-  remained    in  the  place,  teaching,  and 


674  PREtiBYTERIANISM  IN  THE 

often  preaching,  for  a  time,  until  in  1818,  when  he  re- 
moved to  Clinton,  Oneida  county,  and  opened  a  school. 
November,  1820,  he  was  invited  to  Paris  Hill,  and  con- 
tinued there  without  installation  (the  congregation  be- 
ing divided  and  distracted)  until  1831,  teaching  as  well 
as  preaching  during  the  last  two  years.  He  then  re- 
moved to  Utica,  and  taught  school  there,  and  supplied 
the  Fayette  St.  Church.  In  1832,  he  accepted  a  call  to 
the  Fourth  Church,  Newark,  N.  J.,  and  continued 
teaching  and  the  pastorate  there  until  the  autumn  of 
1846,  when  his  overwrought  powers  gave  way,  and  he 
ceased  stated  labor  both  in  the  church  and  in  the  school. 
He  died  from  nothing  apparently  but  exhaustion,  while 
on  a  visit  to  Oneida,  June  2<,  1848. 

Dr.  Weeks  joined  in  marriage  with  Hannah,  daugh- 
ter of  John  Kandel,  Albany,  January  15,  1812.  He 
was  somewhat  above  the  ordinary  height  and  size,  and 
his  appearance  denoted  health  and  vigor.  His  counte- 
nance was  placid  and  yet  cheerful,  and  his  manner  was 
somewhat  cool  and  reserved.  His  mind  was  perpetu- 
ally busy  and  well  trained,  and  enriched  with  classical 
and  theological  lore.  He  formed  his  own  opinions  and 
tenaciously  held  and  earnestly  advocated  them.  Hop- 
kinsianism  was  his  doctrinal  scheme,  and  he  adopted 
it  without  reservation  or  Qinching,  and  labored  as  an 
apostle  for  it.  His  pen  moved  freely  and  rapidly,  and 
tie  had  no  hesitation  to  print  whatever  he  wrote.  The 
list  even  of  his  numerous  publications  is  too  long  to  be 
recited.  His  sermons  were  argumentative,  but  however 
convincing,  seldom  persuasive,  or  impressive,  or  mov- 
ing, or  melting.  His  style  was  clear  and  correct,  but 
oever  sparkling  or  otherwise  pleasing.     His  preaching 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  675 

was  not  helped,  but  hindered,  by  his  carriage  in  the 
pulpit  and  his  gesticulation  and  voice.  His  religion 
was  principle  almost  to  the  exclusion  of  sentiment,  and 
acted  on  his  conscience  much  more  than  on  his  heart 
Like  many  other  men  of  his  class,  his  will  approached 
willfulness,  and  in  abiding  by  and  acting  out  his  views 
and  choosing  his  measures  and  carrying  his  points,  his 
consistency  with  truth  and  right  and  his  fealty  to  jus- 
tice and  generosity, — as  notably  in  the  "  New  and  Old 
Measure''  controversy. — were  not  always  plain. 

Rev.  Hezekiah  North  Woodruff,  a  graduate  of 
Yale  College,  in  the  class  of  1 784.  was  received  from 
the  Presbytery  of  Cayuga  by  the  Presbytery  of  Oneida, 
April  29,  1817,  and  installed  over  the  congregations  of 
Herkimer  and  Little  Falls,  and  February  3.  1822,  the 
relation  was  dissolved,  and  Mr.  Woodruff  dismissed 
to  the  Presbytery  of  Onondaga.  Honor  seems  to 
have  been  put  upon  him  by  his  brethren,  as  shown  by 
repeated  elections  to  the  Moderator's  chair,  and  ap- 
pointments to  deliver  special  sermons,  and  his  choice 
as  Commissioner  to  the  General  Assemblies  of  1819 
and  1820,  and  he  must  have  had  piety  and  ability  and 
prudence,  as  shown  by  his  maintaining  a  five  year's 
pastorate  in  circumstances  thai  would  have  considera- 
bly abreviated  it  with  most  ministers.  This  Mr, 
Woodruff  must  be  distinguished  from  Eezekiah 
WoodruiV.  a  native  of  our  State,  and  a  graduate  from 
I'nion  College,  in  1810.  Be  was  ordained  February 
16,  LS16,  and  Bettled  at  Elmira  from  1816  to  L820, 
and  subsequently  practiced  law  for  many  years  at 
Erie. 


6  7  <  >  tR  &  id  yy  i '  /  >; « /  A  NISM  IN  THE 

Rev.  George  S.  WILSON  was  thrown  on  his  own 
resources  while  a  very  young  boy,  in  consequence  of 
the  death  of  his  father.  Taken  as  an  apprentice  into 
the  printing  office  of  Seward  &  Williams,  Utica,  his 
previous  education  was  altogether  rudimentary,  but  he 
(Mn ployed  his  leisure  to  the  best  possible  advantage,  and 
soon  surpassed  most  youth  in  knowledge  The  exertion, 
however,  overcame  him,  and  he  was  compelled  to  take 
a  respite  from  it.  Recuperated  somewhat,  he  returned 
to  his  types  and  books,  but  he  never  recovered  his  full 
strength.  Always  thoughtful,  he  was  deeply  convicted 
of  sin  in  the  sixteenth  year  of  his  age,  and  found  peace 
in  believing.  Forthwith  he  set  out  on  the  remarkable 
course  of  usefulness  which  he  pursued  to  the  last. 
Uniting  with  the  First  Church,  Utica,  he  went  into 
the  Sunday  school,  and  at  once  developed  extraor- 
dinary gifts  for  teaching.  His  numerous  scholars  de- 
votedly loved  him  while  under  his  tuition,  and.  appar- 
ently, none  the  less  afterwards.  Their  account  of  his 
influence  over  them  and  of  his  moulding  of  them. 
seems  almost  fabulous.  Says  James  M.  Iloyt.  Esq.,  of 
Cleveland: — "The  fragrance  ^\  prayers,  affectionate 
counsels,  readings  in  our  meetings  of  books  selected  by 
him,  and  a  magical  but  indescribable  personal  influence 
which  attached  us  to  him,  still  envelope  my  heart. 
It  has  been  to  me  as  the  dew  and  the  sunlight  through 
many  years  of  labor."  Rev.  Dr.  Edward  Bright,  of 
the  'r.i(iuiiihr  and  Chronicle^  New  York,  declares  that 
hedoes"no1  know  the  man  to  whom  he  is  so  much 
indebted  as  G-eorge  S.  Wilson."  "The  impressions  he 
made,"  John  II.  Edmonds,  Esq.,  of  CJtica,  says,  "may 
be  pronounced  ineffaceable.     They  exist  at  the  present 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  677 

day.  Forty  years  Lave  passed  away, — more  than  a 
quarter  of  a  century  his  happy  spirit  has  been  in  glory 
— some  of  his  scholars  have  joined  him  there,  many 
yet  remain,  gray-haired  men,  and  to  these,  even  now, 
his  influence  is  all-powerful.  Fresh  and  impressive  as 
ever  are  his  teachings.  He  is  still  and  always  will  be 
our  teacher  and  loving  friend/' 

There  was  no  mystery  about  Mr.  Wilson's  power. 
It  lay  in  a  manifest  love  for  his  scholars  and  his  full 
sympathy  with  them.  He  let  them  into  his  heart  and 
entered  into  their's.  They  were  companions,  and  con- 
fidants, and  fellow  beings.  Religion  was  presented  in 
him  in  its  most  attractive  form,  beautiful,  enjoyable, 
ennobling  and  " profitable  unto  all  things."  And  his 
aim  was  not  confined  to  the  spiritual  well-being  of  his 
scholars.  He  sought  that  chiefly,  but  with  it,  he  also 
sought  their  good  in  every  respect  He  cultivated  the 
graces  of  an  upright  honorable,  high-toned  character, 
and  the  virtues  of  an  exemplary  life.  Be  trained  them 
for  the  best  style  of  men  and  the  best  style  of  Chris- 
tians. And  besides  the  education  he  gave  them,  he- 
helped  them  in  their  emergencies  and  needs.  Thepoor 
and  friendless  had  the  warmest  place  in  his  heart,  and 
he  made  it  his  busiest  business  to  procure  situations  for 
them.  No  wonder  that  his  classes  constantly  overflow- 
ed, and  to  provide  in  part  for  the  surplus,  lie  organized 
the  "  Juvenile  Society  for  Learning  and  Doing  Good." 
II'' was  the  .-"ul  of  every  meeting,  and  gave  it  such 
life,  and  joy,  and  advantage,  thai  the  room  was  too 
strait  for  the  attendance.  "  1I<'  bad  no  office  in  th< 
ciety,"  T.  \V.  Seward,  of  Utica,  remarks,  4t  bul  after 
framing  a  suitable  code  of  laws,  he   lefl   the   manage- 


678  PRESBYTERIANISM  IN  THE 

Bient  in  the  hands  of  the  boys.  But  no  meeting  could 
!)c  held  without  his  presence.  No  fraternity  of  human 
contrivance,  whether  it  make  itself  coeval  with  Jeru- 
salem's Temple,  or  tortures  the  Greek  alphabet  into  a 
cabilistic  name,  was  ever  more  ardently  loved  by  its 
members.  What  pride  they  took  in  it.  How  eagerly 
they  repaired  on  the  appointed  night  to  the  old  school- 
room. With  what  grave  decorum  was  the  routine  of 
parliamentary  forms  gone  through.  Business  dispatch- 
ed, what  tine  variety  of  amusement  and  instruction  fol- 
lowed— 

'  From  grave  to  gay,  from  lively  to  severe.' 

Bear  in  mind  that  I  am  not  describing  a  society  of 
young  men.  We  were  only  boys — not  one  of  us  more 
than  15  years  old.  But  much  as  we  loved  our  society 
and  each  other,  we  all  felt  that  its  soul,  as  well  as  its 
brain,  was  incorporate  in  its  beloved  founder.  He  was 
indeed  a  rare  man.  That  generation  may  call  itself 
fortunate  that  produces  his  equal  Mr.  Wilson's  great 
success  with  boys  lay  in  the  fact  that  he  always  treated 
them  as  his  equals.  He  never  claimed  a  superiority 
over  the  humblest.  And  yet  he  was  a  man  of  the 
greatest  dignity.  With  what  beautiful  deference  would 
he  listen  to  their  suggestions  and  speculations,  no  matter 
how  crude  Eimself  a  man  of  but  limited  acquirements 
at  that  lime  l>ut  blessed  with  a  vigorous  intellect,  he 
sought  and  obtained  knowledge  from  even-  source." 

"Mi-.  Wilson's  class."  says  Rev.  Dr.  Edward  Bright, 
of  New  York,  "was  one  with  which  any  might  feci 
proud  to  be  connected,  and  no  words  can  overdraw  the 
admiration  and  Love  in  which  every  member  ^i  it  held 
his   teacher.      The  glance  of  his   eye  and   the  pressure 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  ft,  \) 

of  his  hand  were  but  the  expression  of  his  love, — of 
love  so  generous  and  deep  that  no  amount  of  care  was 
t«  m  »  great  for  him  to  give  that  group  of  boys.  He  was 
not  only  one  of  the  most  intelligent  and  loving  of  teachers 
with  his  class,  but  tasked  every  resource  to  make  them 
happier  and  better.  He  formed  them,  with  some  other 
boys  of  the  school,  into  an  unique  society,  officered  by 
themselves,  but  of  which  he  was  the  actual  head,  for 
the  double  purpose  of  personal  improvement  and  im- 
proving the  condition  of  others.  Reading  and  conver- 
sation were  the  staples  of  the  meetings,  and  from  what 
was  there  read  and  said,  combined  with  what  was  heard 
in  the  Sabbath  School,  many  a  boy  received  the  influ- 
ence that  determined  the  course  of  his  life.'1  Says 
another  scholar,  "out  of  eight  boys  in  his  class  at  one 
time,  seven  became  ministers,  missionaries,  or  ruling 
elders,  and  the  eighth  was  a  leader  in  the  Texan  army 
that  achieved  the  independence  of  the  State." 

Mr.  Wilson's  appetite  for  doing  good  sharpened  with 
indulgence.  His  taste  of  the  Sunday  School  gave  him 
a  craving  for  the  pulpit  Formidable  barriers  blocked 
up  th«-  way  to  his  gratification.  He  had  passed  his  youth, 
and  enjoyed  but  little  of  the  discipline  of  the  schools, 
and  had  qo  means  tor  a  subsistence  while  pursuing  his 
studies.  Hut  experience  taughl  him  resolution  and 
trust  iii  Providence,  and  he  went  forward  and  reached 
licensure  and  ordination.  He  first  exercised  his  Minis- 
try in  Vermont,  and  then  settled  at  Sacketa  Harbor, 
where  his  feeble  powers  gave  «.ut.  Relinquishing  his 
charge,  he  ceased  In-  activity,  and  lingered  long  in  en- 
forced repose   until   the  39th  pear  of  his  age,  when  he 

slept    in  death. 


680  PRESB  YTER1AN1SM  IN  THE 

Rev.  Samuel  Corylus  Wilcox  was  born  at  Sand- 
isfield  in  1809,  and  graduated  from  Williams  College 
in  1835,  and  from  Auburn  Seminary  in  1840.  He 
preached  first  at  Berkshire,  and  was  then  settled  in 
Owego  from  1841  to  1840,  and  afterwards  in  Williams- 
burg. Mass.,  from  1846  to  1849,  and  finally  in  the  Con- 
gregational Church,  Oswego,  from  1849  until  his  death, 
March  26,  1854.  Hev.  D.  D.  Gregory  described  him 
as  "a  man  of  brilliant  pulpit  powers.  He  said  Ameri- 
can lawyers  can  always  speak  without  notes,  while 
American  divines  are  tied  to  them.  I  intend  to  do  my 
share  in  wiping  off  this  shame.  He  preached  without 
notes.  His  people  (Owego)  in  a  year  sent  him  a  re- 
quest to  write  his  sermons, — he  refused,  and  they  dis- 
missed him.  lie  was  frail  in  body,  vigorous  in  intel- 
lect and  lovely  in  heart,  and  died  young." 

Rev.  COMFORT  Williams  was  a  native  of  Connecti- 
cut, and  graduated  from  Yale  College  in  1808.  He 
was  ordained  at  Utica,  February,  18 18,  at  the  same 
time  with  Rev.  Henry  D wight,  expecting  to  settle  at 
Ogdensburgh  ;  but  the  war  with  Great  Britain  very 
much  disorganized  the  congregation,  and  he  returned 
the  call  it  had  given  him  and  addressed  himself  for 
three  years  to  the  missionary  service  in  Oneida  county, 
Western  New  York  and  Pennsylvania.  lie  had  charge 
of  a  church  in  Rochester  from  L816  to  L821,  and  con- 
tinued to  reside  in  thai  city  until  his  death.  Augusl 
25,  L826,  aged  forty  two. 

William  Frederick  Williams,  D.  D.,  was  born  in 

rtica..J;iu.  7.    L818,  the  son  of  Col.  William   Williams. 


b  YA  <JD  OF  VENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  681 

of  precious  memory.  At  the  early  age  of  thirteen  he 
united  with  the  First  Presbyterian  Church,  and  chose 
the  ministry  as  his  vocation.  Finishing  his  prepara- 
tory studies  at  the  academy  of  his  native  town,  he  en- 
tered Yale  College,  but  some  embarrassments  in  his 
father's  business  induced  him  to  leave  before  graduat- 
ing, and  applying  himself  for  a  time  to  civil  engineering, 
he  obtained  the  means  of  pursuing  a  theological  course 
at  the  Auburn  Seminary,  from  which  he  graduated  in 
1  "47.  The  cry  from  abroad  reached  his  cars,  and  he 
felt  that  woe  was  him  if  he  did  not  preach  thegos]  »el  there. 
Married  to  Miss  Sarah  Pond,  also  a  native  of  Utica. 
and  originally  a  communicant  of  the  First  Churcn,  but 
subsequently  a  resident  of  Home,  he  was  commissioned 
as  a  missionary  by  the  American  Board,  and  stationed  at 
Beyrut,  Syria.  He  was  transferred  thence  in  a  few 
years  to  Mosul  on  the  Tigris,  and  near  the  site  of  an- 
cient Nineveh,  and  from  thence  to  Mardin.  three  hun- 
dred miles  northwest  of  Bagdad,  where  lie  closed  his 
labors,  and  whence  he  went  to  his  rest  and  reward 

l)r.  Williams  was  an  admirable  man.  a  charming 
Christian,  an  unsparing,  patient,  emcienl  missionary. 
There  was  enough  of  the  eccentricity  of  genius  about  him 
to  make  him  fascinating,  without  making  him  unpracti- 
cal :  he  was  genial  and  cheerful  without  being  trifling, 
and  spiritual  without  being  austere,  and  with  a  keen  rel- 
ish for  the  en  joyments  of  life  and  a  high  appreciation  of 
its  prizes  and  a  legitimate  participation  in  them,  he  v 
engrossed  with  his  work  as  to  lose  thought  of  himself  in  it. 
Bis  earnestness  and  sprightliness  particularly  adapted 
him  to  his  field  in  Mesopotamia.  At  his  entrance  upon 
it.  and  for  a  considerable  Bpace  of  his  continuance   in 


682  PRESBYTERIANISM  IN  THE 

it,  nothing  seemed  possible  of  accomplishment.  His 
spirits  and  energy  kept  him  up  and  encouraged  and 
strengthened  his  associates,  and  remarkable  success 
was  achieved.  For  several  years  lie  was  particularly 
engaged  in  training  native  preachers  and  helpers,  and 
a  theological  seminary  was  established  largely  through 
his  agency,  and  in  which  he  was  expected  to  take  a 
principal  part. 

Dr.  Williams  was  a  son  of  affliction.  A  }roung  son 
was  buried  out  of  his  sight,  and  his  wives,  Sarah  Pond, 
previously  mentioned,  Hattie  Harding,  of  Auburndale, 
Mass.,  and  Carrie  Barbour,  of  Philadelphia,  were  taken 
from  him.  Catherine  Pond,  of  Verona  Center,  survives 
him,  and  has  returned  to  the  mission  field.  One  son 
graduated  from  Amherst  College,  another  from  Hamil- 
ton, and  a  daughter  from  Mt.  Iiolyoke. 

Dr.  Williams'  labors  kept  him  reduced  to  little  more 
than  his  frame  work,  and  impressed  the  appearance  of 
bodily  feebleness  upon  him,  but  he  was  sinewy  and  elastic 
and  capable  of -great  activity  and  toil.  An  ulcer  in  the 
nose,  producing  profuse  hemorrhages,  occasioned  his 
death.  The  discharges  of  blood  began  several  months 
hvU  >re,  and  threatened  to  prove  immediately  fatal.  They 
were  checked,  however,  from  time  to  time,  and  then  so  far 
arrested  that  the  hope  of  recovery  was  excited,  and  the 
project  formed  of  visiting  this  country  to  render  it 
complete  and  suiv.  But  dysentery  supervened  and 
soon  exhausted  the  little  of  life  that  had  been  spared. 
Be  died  at  Mardin,  February  14,  1876. 

The  Bufferer's  passion  for  his  work"  never  cooled. 
When  he  began  to  rail  \  his  strength  after  his  bleedings, 
he  said,   "  1  do  not  believe  that  I  need  go  to  America 


SYNOD  OF  VENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  688 

after  all."  He  even  deprecated  a  visit  to  his  native 
land,  which  he  would  have  enjoyed  so  much  in  itself, 
because  it  would  break  him  off  from  the  service  in 
which  he  most  delighted.  His  wife  once  said  to  him, 
in  rather  a  pleading  tone,  when  he  had  been  expressing 
the  conviction  that  he  must  die  soon,  and  his  acquies- 
cence in  this,  "  Do  you  not  wish  to  get  well  ?"  "  Of 
course  I  do,"  was  his  reply.  "  Nothing  would  I  like 
so  well.  There  never  was  a  time  when  I  so  much 
wished  to  live.  It  seems  to  me  that  we  have  reached  a 
point  where  we  can  do  something.  But  the  will  of  the 
Lord  be  done.     He  knows  what  is  best." 

His  piety  was  full  of  Jesus ;  full  of  the  blood  of  Je- 
sus; full  of  Jesus  as  the  Lamb  of  God  which  taketh 
away  the  sin  of  the  world;  full  of  Jesus  as  expiating 
our  guilt  by  his  sufferings  and  death.  He  depended 
on  him  for  salvation, — son  the  atoning  sacrifice  he  had 
made,  and  on  nothing  else,  and  to  the  utter  discarding 
and  exclusion  of  everything  else.  One  of  his  favorite 
hymns  was  : 

Just  as  I  am,  without  ore  plea, 

But  that  thy  blood  was  shed  for  me. 

Says  she  who  ministered  bo  watchfully  and  anxiously 
at  his  bedside:  "His  trust  in  the  Saviour  of  sinners 
seemed  perfect  and  unshaken  to  the  end.  1  wish  I 
could  give  you  an  idea  of  the  lasl  j -raver  1  heard  him 
offer,  so  sweetly  clinging  to  Jesus,  asking  him  to  con- 
tinue with  him  and  sustain  him  when  he  went  down 
into  the  dark  valley.  'And  when  1  go  up  on  the 
other  side,  be  there,'  he  said,  'to  welcome  me  with  a 
forgiving  smile." ' 


6^4  PRESBYTERIAXISM  IN  THE 

Dr.  Seth  WlLLISTON,  repeatedly  mentioned  in  the 
foregoing  pages,  and  sketched  somewhat  at  length,  and 
to  whom  the  church  on  the  territory  of  the  Synod  is 
probably  more  indebted  than  to  any  other  one  man,  once 
related  the  circumstances  that  directed  him  here  : 

There  was  a  meeting  of  ministers  at  Hartford.  I  was  a  young 
man  out  of  employment,  and  went  in  as  a  spectator,  not  having 
any  business  there  that  I  knew  of.  Something  was  said  about 
the  destitution  of  the  gospel  in  the  new  settlements  at  the  West, 
and  the  "Chenang"  country  was  spoken  of.  As  they  were  com 
ing  out  of  the  meeting,  one  of  the  ministers  said  :  "  Mr.  Willis- 
ton,  you  are  just  the  man  to  go."  It  struck  me  favorably,  and  I 
concluded  to  go.  I  was  directed  to  call  on  some  one  in  Stock - 
bridge,  Mass..  for  information  about  the  country  and  the  route,  as 
no  one  at  the  meeting  could  give  it.  Arrived  at  Stockbridge.  the 
man  on  whom  I  called  was  preparing  to  make  the  trip  himself, 
and  we  traveled  together. 

Mr.  Williston  reached  Patterson's  Settlement,  now 
Lisle,  in  July,  1796,  and  commenced  preaching  there, 
and  ;i  revival  ensued.  Returning  to  Connecticut  for 
ordination,  he  came  back  to  Lisle;  but,  as  he  wrote, 
UI  extended  my  ministry  through  all  the  parts  of  the 
then  town  of  Union,  which  comprised  most  of  the  pre- 
sent counties  of  Broome  and  Tioga.  I  went  to  I  Tomer, 
Locke,  Scipio  and  Milton  (as  Grenoa  was  then  called).'' 
He  received  a  commission  from  the  Connecticut  Mis- 
sionary Society,  in  1798,  the  year  of  its  organization. 

Rev.  CALVIN  Yale  is  still  spared,  in  a  green  old  age, 
to  the  ministry  and  the  Church.  "  Serus  in  caelum  re- 
elects." lie  is  a  uative  of  Massachusetts,  and  a  brother 
of  Rev,  Dr.  Elisha  Vale,  of  ever  fresh  and  fragrant 
memory.  Be  graduated  from  Union  College  in  1812, 
and    preached    at   Lynn,  Mass.,  as  a  licentiate,  1816-17. 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  685 

Ordained  October  7,  1817,  he  was  settled  from  that 
time  until  1832  in  Charlotte,  Vt.  He  then  took  charge 
of  the  academy  in  his  brother's  parish,  at  Kingsboro, 
N.  Y.,  and  retained  it,  preaching  in  vacant  pulpits  dur- 
ing that  period,  until  1836,  when  he  went  to  Martins- 
burg,  and  remained  there  as  stated  supply  and  pastor 
until  1840,  teaching  as  well  as  preaching  from  1836  to 
1838.  He  acted  as  stated  supply  in  Brown ville  from 
1841  to  1843,  conducting  a  school  at  Watertown  dur- 
ing the  same  period;  and  from  1843  to  1853  he  served 
as  stated  supply  in  Lewis  county,  and  since  then  has 
lived,  without  charge,  at  Martinsburg,  but  as  deeply 
interested  as  ever  in  the  cause  of  God  and  man,  and 
active  in  ecclesiastical  and  public  proceedings,  and  help- 
ing feeble  congregations.  Tt  will  not  offend  his  mod- 
esty nor  violate  delicacy  to  speak  of  him  as  command- 
ing universal  regard  and  confidence  by  reason  of  both 
his  character  and  his  parts,  and  as  inspiring  gratitude 
for  his  protracted  and  varied  services,  and  as  illustrat- 
ing Christian  serenity  and  enjoyment,  as  well  as  activ- 
ity and  vigor,  in  advanced  years. 


Rev.  James  Abell  was  a  native  of  Connecticut,  a 
graduate  of  Yale  College  in  1819,  a  student  at   Ando- 

ver    in    the    class    of    L812,    which    included    such    well 

known  members  as  Secretary  Rufus  Anderson,  D.  D., 
LI,  I).,  Ansel  Doan  Eddy,  D.  I>..  Secretarj  William 
Allen  Eallock,  1>.  !>..  President  Marsh,  of  the  Univer- 
sity of  Vermont,  Rev.  William  Richards,  missionary  to 
the  Sandwich  Island.-  and  Ambassador  from  these  to 
Grea1  Britain,  and  Minister  of  Public  Instruction,  and 
i. 


PRESBYTERIAN1SM  IN  THE 

Counsellor  of  State,  and  Chaplain  to  the  King,  Beriah 
Green,  and  President  Hale  of  Hobart  College.  Or- 
dained in  1825,  Mr.  Abell  was  settled  at  Oswego,  1825 
-1830,  Oxford,  1830-1837,  Reformed  (Dutch),  Chitte- 
nango,  1838-1857.  He  spent  1857  at  Oshkosh,  Wis., 
and  died  at  Oswego,  May  7,  1868,  aged  75.  Of  ex- 
ceedingly amiable  disposition,  and  an  acceptable  preach- 
er and  pastor,  he  attached  his  people  to  himself,  and 
faithfully  served  them. 

Rev.  David   A.  Abbey,  son  of  David  and  Nancy 
(Varnham)  Abbey,  was  born  at  Olive,  Ulster  county, 
April  6,  1813,  where  he  spent  the  first  seventeen  years 
of  his  life  laboring  on  a  farm,   with  the  exception  of 
one  winter  at  the  academy  in  Kingston,  and  part  of  a 
year  in  the  store  of  General  James  S.  Smith.     In  1830 
he  was  hopefully  converted  during  a  revival  of  religion, 
and  united  with  the  Reformed  (Dutch)  Church  in  his 
native   town.     The  following  year  he  removed,  with 
his  father's  family,  to  Reading,  Schuyler  county,  where 
his  attention  was  turned  to  the  ministry,  and  preparing 
for  it  at  Geneva   Lyceum,  he  entered  the  sophomore 
class  in  Vale  College,  and  graduated  in  183S.     Imme- 
diately after,  lie   went  to  Auburn,  and  completed  the 
course  in  the  theological  seminary  there.     Licensed  bj 
the  Presbytery  of  Cayuga,  he  supplied  the  pulpit  in 
Laurenceville,  Pa.,  for  a  time,  and  afterwards   was  or- 
dained and  settled  at  St.  Catharines,  Canada,  and  then 
preached  at  Montery.     In  1851,  he  was  a  stated  supply 
at    Mead's  Creek;  in    1853,  at   Rondout;  in  1854,  at 
Wes1  Dresden;  and  afterwards  at  New  Millford,  Pa.; 
and  finally   at    Apalachin,  where  he  died  of   typhoid 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  687 

fever,  December  6,  1865.  He  married  Blandiua  M., 
daughter  of  Conrad  Broadhead,  Esq.,  of  Olive,  who, 
with  one  daughter,  survived  him. 

Mr.  Abbey's  countenance  denoted  his  godliness, — 
not  gloomy,  or  sad,  or  severe,  and  by  no  means  beauti- 
ful, but  mild  and  benignant  and  pure,  generally  seri- 
ous, but  often  relaxing  into  smiles.  The  tones  of  his 
voice  were  low  and  soft,  and  his  words  and  movements 
deliberate.  Always  feeble,  and  with  the  appearance  of 
an  invalid,  he  was  incapable  of  great  efforts,  but  quiet, 
careful,  steady  work,  animated  by  a  truly  pious  spirit, 
made  him  the  agent  of  accomplishing  much. 

Rev.  Barnabas  Bruin,  a  tutor  in  Union  College, 
came  to  Ogdensburg  early  in  1819,  on  the  recommen- 
dation of  President  Nott,  and  was  cordially  received. 
The  church  organization  previously  existing  was  dis- 
solved, and  the  name  of  First  Church  and  congregation 
of  Christ  in  the  town  of  Oswegatchie  discarded,  and  a 
new  church  formed,  December  8,  1819,  with  a  mem- 
bership of  nine  males  and  nine  females.  On  the  15th 
of  the  same  month  George  Bell  and  John  Fine  were 
chosen  elders,  and  ordained  on  the  19th,  and  the  first 
meeting  of  the  session  was  held  on  the  29th.  Soon 
after  Mr.  Bruin's  coming,  the  first  house  of  worship 
occupied  by  the  church,  and  popularly  styled  the 
"Gospel    Barn,"  was  built,  costing  $600.     i|js  health 

failed  soon   after,  and  leaving  for  its  recovery,  he  never 

returned  to  remain,  and  died  in  Connecticut  Be  was  a 
young  man  of  superior  talents,  ardent  piety,  and  prudent 

zeal. 


688  PRESB  YTERIA  NISM  IN  THE 

Rev.  Hercules  R  Dunham  was  a  native  of  the 
State  of  New  York,  a  graduate  from  Union  College  in 
1838,  and  from  the  New  Haven  Seminary  in  1841. 
He  was  ordained  January  11,  1843,  and  installed  over 
the  Cortlandville  church,  where  he  continued  until 
1856,  and  died  at  Gralena,  Illinois,  in  1857,  his  remains 
being  brought  to  the  beautiful  cemetery  of  the  town 
where  he  exercised  his  only  pastorate.  Almost  uncouth 
in  appearance,  his  person  indicated  a  giant's  strength. 
The  outward  man  well  figured  the  inner.  Of  strong 
mind,  Mr.  Dunham  exercised  it  with  great  power,  and 
his  force  and  transparent  sincerity  soon  hid  his  exterior, 
and  nothing  was  noticed  and  felt  but  the  truths  he  ex- 
hibited'and  the  appeals  he  presented. 

Rev.  Robert  F alley  Cleveland  was  born  at 
Norwich,  Ct.,  in  1808,  and  spent  his  boyhood  and 
youth  there.  He  was  graduated  from  Yale  College  in 
1824,  and  studied  one  year  at  Princeton  Seminary.  He 
first  settled  at  Windham,  Ct.,  and  remained  there  three 
years.  He  then  went  to  Portsmouth,  Va.,  and  at  the 
expiration  of  two  years,  took  the  charge  of  the  church 
at  Caldwell,  N.  J.,  and  retained  it  for  nine  years,  when 
he  accepted  a  call  to  Fayetteville.  Here  he  lived  and 
labored  for  eight  years,  and  then  entered  upon  a  Dis- 
trict Secretaryship  -of  the  American  Home  Missionary 
Society,  making  it  his  home  at  Clinton.  Three  years 
were  passed  in  this  office,  when  Mr.  Cleveland  returned 
to  ;i  pastorate,  and  removing  to  Holland  Patent,  he  had 
preached  but  twice  there,  when  death  terminated  his 
ministry,  October  1,  1853. 

In  1826 Mr.  Cleveland  was  married  to  Ann,  daughter 
of  A.bner   Veal,   of  Baltimore,  Iowa.     Seven  of  their 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  689 

eight  children  are  living.  The  oldest  was  the  wife  of 
Kev.  E.  P.  Hastings,  missionary  for  twenty-five  years 
in  Ceylon.  The  second  is  the  Rev.  Win.  Cleveland,  of 
Eaton.  The  youngest  is  with  her  mother  in  Holland 
Patent.  The  remainder,  with'  the  exception  of  one 
daughter  in  Toledo,  reside  in  this  State. 

Mr.  Cleveland  showed  his  good  breeding  in  all  the 
intercourse  of  life  and  in  his  appearance  and  manners. 
Not  punctilious  or  dressy,  he  was  always  polite  and 
wore  a  gentleman's  garb.  His  look  was  generally  se- 
rious, but  never  gloomy  or  morose.  He  was  busy  with- 
out being  bustling,  and  earnest  without  being  violent. 
No  one  could  be  with  him  without  respecting  and  es- 
teeming him.  The  suddenness  of  his  death  produced 
widely  the  pang  of  a  painful  surprise,  and  the  grief 
that  followed  flooded  many  eyv*. 

The  notice  of  Rev.  Benjamin  Xiu:s.  mi,  a  preced- 
ing page,  was  prepared  from  very  inqx-rfect  informa- 
tion. Since  it  passed  through  the  press,  the  following 
much  more  satisfactory  sketch  has  been  procured: 

Mr.  Niles  was  born  in  the  town  of  West  Fairlee,  Vermont,  in 
August,  1787.  His  father,  Sands  Niles,  was  a  Vermont  farmer, 
but  both  his  grandfather  ami  great  grandfather  were  Congrega- 
tional clergymen,  of  Braintree,  .Mass  Hon.  Nathaniel  Niles,  of 
Vermont,  who  attained  to  some  celebrity  as  lawyer,  j udge,  farmer 
and  clergyman,  was  his  ancle.  .Mr.  Niles  graduated  at  Dartmouth 
College,  in  the  class  of  lsi  1,  which  numbered,  amoug  other  emi- 
nent men  Rev.  Daniel  Poor,  I)  D.,  missionary  al  Ceylon,  Hon. 
Amos  Kendall,  LL.  D.,  Postmaster  General,  and  Hon. Joel  Parker, 
LL.  D.,  Chief  Justice  of  New  Jersey,  Mr.  Niles  received  the 
honorary  degree  of  Master  of  arts  from  Yale  College,  In  1815. 
In  March,  1816,  be  came,  as  a  licentiate  of  the  gospel  ministry,  to 
Blnghamton,  then  known  bj   the  name  of  Chenango  Point,  while 


690  PRESBYTER1AN1SM  IN  THE 

as  yet  the  church  was  unorganized.  Rev.  Dr.  Board  in  an,  in  his 
historical  sermon  at  the  fiftieth  anniversary  of  the  organization 
of  the  Binghamton  Church,  states  that  Mr.  Niles  "  preached  with 
an  effect  upon  the  hearts  of  the  people  not  known  before.  God 
blessed  his  labors;  the  Holy  Spirit  made  use  of  the  truths  he  pro- 
claimed. Some  of  his  sermons  are  still  remembered  as  powerful 
for  their  simple  and  touching  truthfulness.  Oue  from  the  text, 
1  Are  not  Abana  and  Pharpar  rivers  of  Damascus  better  than  all 
the  waters  of  Israel?'  is  to  this  day  spoken  of  with  tears  of  grat- 
tude.  Mr.  Niles  was  hesitant  about  settling  as  a  pastor.  *  *  * 
After  preaching  for  a  time,  he  went  from  the  place,  uncertain 
whether  he  should  return.  Some  of  those  whom  he  had  led  to 
Christ  remonstrated  with  him,  and  at  his  departure  assured  him 
that  they  should  'pray  him  back.'  In  his  absence,  he  received  a 
call  to  settle  as  pastor  over  a  church  in  the  town  of  Ovid,  X.  Y., 
but  was  finally  induced  to  return  to  Binghamton,  and  was  there 
Jan.  1,  1817,  and  at  the  formation  of  the  church  a  little  more  than 
ten  months  later."  March  2d,  1818,  "the  church  agreed  to  give 
the  Rev.  Benjamin  Niles  a  call  to  settle."  This  call  was  repeated 
in  the  following  May,  and  in  October,  1818,  he  was  ordained  and 
installed  its  first  pastor. 

June  20th,  1821,  Mr.  Niles  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Ma- 
hal ah  Duuning,  daughter  of  Captain  Michael  Dunning,  of  Ulyssis, 
Tompkins  county,  N.  Y. ,  by  whom  he  had  three  children,  one  son 
(now  Rev.  W.  A.  Niles,  D.  D.,  pastor  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  of 
Hornellsville,  N.  Y.),  and  two  daughters,  both  of  whom  died  in 
their  infancy. 

The  period  of  Mr.  Niles'  ministry  in  Binghamton  was  one  of 
struggle.  The  church  went  by  the  soubriquet,  "  Mr.  Niles  and 
his  women,"  but  before  his  death,  he  was  permitted  to  see  a  glo- 
rious revival,  and  sixty  persons  in  one  year,  some  of  them  men  of 
Btrength  and  influence,  were  added  to  the  church.  Mr.  Niles  was 
an  earnest  Christian  pastor,  was  greatly  beloved  by  his  people, 
and  was  universally  respected  in  the  community.  The  historical 
sermon  above  referred  to  states,  "  It  is  understood  that  the  salary 
aimed  at  in  Mr.  Niles'  day  was  three  hundred  dollars.  But  he 
never  received  that  amount  in  any  year  during  his  stay."  He 
Buffered  from  a  bronchial  difficulty  that  prevented  him  from 
preaching  for  nearly  or  quite  a  year  before  his  death,  which  oc- 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  691 

curred  July  18,  1828,  at  the  age  of  forty  years  and  eleven  months. 
He  laid  for  the  Binghamton  Church  a  glorious  foundation,  and 
children's  children  lovingly  cherish  his  memory. 

The  following  very  acceptable  sketch  has  been  obli- 
gingly furnished  for  this  place: 

Rev.  WASHINGTON  THACHEB,  A  M.  (Hamilton  College.  1828), 
was  born  in  Attleboro',  Mass.,  Feb.  23,  1794,  and  died  in  Utica, 
N.  Y.,  June  29,  1850.  He  was  of  a  God-fearing  and  ministerial 
stock.  It  is  a  tradition  of  the  family,  that  seven  successive  cler- 
gymen of  the  name  of  Thacher,  all  bearing  the  apostolic  praeno- 
men  of  Peter,  had  ministered  to  the  Anglican  Church  in  Old  Sa- 
rum,  England,  before  1630;  and  of  the  nine  generations  in  this 
country,  beginning  with  Rev.  Peter  Thacher,  D.  D.,  first  pastor  of 
the  Old  South  Church,  Boston,  no  one  of  them  all  has  wanted  a 
man  to  stand  before  the  altar  of  God,  though  not  all  of  them  have 
borne  the  apostolic  name. 

When  Washington  Thacher  wa3  less  than  two  years  of  age,  his 
father  removed  with  his  family  to  Harford,  Susquehannah  Co., 
Pennsylvania,  where  he,  in  company  with  eight  other  young  men 
from  Attleboro',  had  undertaken,  five  years  before,  to  build  up 
homes  for  themselves,  in  the  wilderness.  The  young  settlement, 
founded  by  New  England  men,  had  already  its  little  church  and 
school  house,  and  in  Mr.  Thacher's  early  boyhood.  Rev.  Lyman 
Richardson,  D.  D.,  established  there  a  select  school,  which  ere  long 
grew  into  the  Harford  Academy,  and  finally  into  the  shortlived 
Susquehannah  University.  Mr.  Thacher  was  a  favorite  pupil  of 
Dr.  Richardson,  and  applied  himself  to  study  so  assiduously  that 
at  the  sventeen,  he  was  an  excellent  English,  and  a  good 

classical  scholar.  From  1811  to  181G,  he  taught  every  winter 
either  in  Sasquehannah  Co.,  Pa.,  or  Broome  Co  N  \  We  have 
not  the  exact  date  of  his  conversion,  but  in  1818  he  had  com- 
•  d  a  course  of  theological  study.  Rev.  .John  Truair,  of  cher- 
ry Valley,  then  in  the  zenith  of  his  fame  as  an  able  and  eloquent 
revival  preacher,  being  his  instructor  for  more  than  two  y< 
In  1831  he  was  licensed  by  the  Oteej  o  Presbytery.  He  wras  married 
in  1833,  to  Miss  Maria  M .  Johnson,  of  Little  Falls,  and  the 
became  the  stated  supply  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  at  Morrisville, 
Madison  Co.,  where  he  remained  for  four  years.     In  L820  he  waa 


692  PliESBYTERIANISM  IN  THE 

called  to  the  pastorate  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  Onondaga, 
where  he  remained  for  seven  years,  his  ministry  proving  very 
successful,  and  his  labors  being  crowned  by  precious  revivals.  In 
July,  1827,  his  lovely  and  accomplished  wife  died  very  suddenly, 
leaving  him  with  three  little  children.  In  December,  1828,  he 
was  married  a  second  time,  to  Miss  Sarah  E.  Morrill,  of  New  York. 
In  January,  1833,  he  received  an  urgent  call  from  the  First  Pres- 
byterian Church  in  Jordan,  to  become  its  pastor.  The  call  was 
accepted,  and  ratified  by  Presbytery  Jan.  10,  1833. 

His  pastorate  in  Jordan  extended  over  a  period  of  nearly  ten 
years,  and  was  fruitful  in  the  spiritual  growth  and  activity  of  the 
church.     There  were  several  seasons  of  revival,  and  the  accessions 
to  the  membership  were  large,  though  the  population  was  a  fluc- 
tuating one.     Before  his  pastorate  at  Jordan,  he  was  more  than 
once  invited  to  the  charge  of  the  First   Presbyterian  Church  in 
Syracuse,  and  to  other  important  posts,  but  declined*.     He  was  one 
of  the  trustees  of  the  Auburn  Theological  Seminary,  during  most 
of  his  residence  in  Jordan,  and   until  the  close  of  his  life.     His 
health  at  length  became  so  seriously  impaired  that  in   1842,  he 
resigned  his  pastoral  charge,  and   after  his  partial   recovery  was 
for  a  year  or  more  Principal  of  the  Academy  at  Jordan.     In  the 
autumn  of  1843  he  removed  to  Eaton,  Madison  Co.,  and  was  for 
ihree  years  stated  supply  of  the  church  there.     In  the  autumn  of 
1846  he  returned  to  Jordan,  and  in  the  spring  of  1847  accepted  an 
appointment  as  Secretary  of  the  Central  New  York  Agency  of  the 
American  Home  Missionary  Society,  and  removed  to  Utica  to  enter 
upon   his  labors.     The  duties  of  the  position,  at  that  time,  were 
very  laborious  and  difficult;  the  territory  covered  by  the  agency 
being  extensive,  the  collections  and  expenditures  large;  and  the 
causes  which,  some  years  later,  led  to  the  separation  of  the  Pres- 
byterians and  Congregationalists  in  their  Home  Mission  work  had 
just  commenced  to  affect  the  churches.     Mr.  Thacher  was  indefat- 
igable in  his  labors,  and  sought  to  promote  the  peace  of  Zion,  but 
at    the  end   of   three   years,  during   which   he   had  suffered    from 
Bevere  domestic  affliction,  his  excessive  toil,  and  exposure  to  the 
inclement    winter   climate  of    the    northern    counties,  completely 
broke  down  his  health,  and  after   a  protracted    illness,  he    passed 
away  peacefully  and  joyfully,  June  29,  I860.     Mr.  Thacher  was  a 
man  of  extensive  general  culture,  thoroughly  at  home  in  English 
literature,  and  a  good  classical  and  Biblical  scholar.      His  style  as 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  693 

a  writer  and  preacher  was  chaste,  simple,  and  perspicuous;  every 
thought  was  clearly,  concisely,  and  appropriately  expressed;  and 
there  was  no  attempt  at  display  or  excessive  adornment.  He  was 
sound  in  doctrine,  and  exemplary  in  the  practice  of  all  the  Chris- 
tian virtures;  and  as  a  pastor,  faithful,  sympathizing,  and  genial 
in  his  intercourse  with  his  people.  He  was  eminently  "a  good 
man,  full  of  the  Holy  Ghost  and  of  faith,"  and  through  his  abun- 
dant labors,  "  much  people  were  added  unto  the  Lord." 


[The  following  belongstosketch.es  of  prominent  bene 
factors  of  Hamilton  College,  but  the  material  for  it. 
could  not  be  procured  in  time  for  that  place :] 

Hon.  Perry  Hiram  Smith,  of  Chicago,  was  born  in 
Augusta,  Oneida  County,  where  he  lived  until  his  ad- 
mission to  Hamilton  College,  from  which  he  graduated 
with  the  class  of  1846.  Admitted  to  the  Bar,  he  open- 
ed an  office,  in  partnership  with  another,  at  Appleton, 
Wis.,  while  the  settlers  there  were  felling  the  trees  on 
the  site  of  their  embryo  city.  The  lawyers  of  the 
place,  in  common  with  the  rest  of  the  inhabitants,  were 
compelled  to  versatility  in  their  pursuits,  and  all  the 
circumstances  of  .Mr.  Smith's  life  had  trained  him  for 
this,  while  he  had  a  natural  aptitude  for  it.  He  engaged 
in  whatever  promised  remuneration  and  profit,  and  was 
quite  sure  to  take  part  in  public  enterprises  and  opera- 
tions, until  finally,  be  was  withdrawn  from  the  active 
practice  of  bis  profession  and  from  every  other  pursuit, 
and  betook  himself  t<>  the  management  and  extension  of 
Railways  and  to  transactions  in  them,  and  became  a  king 
in  this  domain  in  the  Wes1  and  Northwest  The  intensity 
of  his  devotion  to  business  did  nol  absorb  his  interest  in 
literature  and  science,  nor  engulf  his  memory  ^i  the 
friends  of  his  childhood  and  vouth,  and  of  the  College 


694  PRESBYTER1ANISM  IN  THE 

to  which  he  was  largely  indebted.  Expressing  his 
gratitude  to  the  latter  and  his  affection  for  it,  and  his 
appreciation  of  books,  he  laid  the  foundation  of-  the  Li- 
brary Hall  that  bears  his  name,  and  liberally  contribu- 
ted to  the  superstructure.  His  friend  and  fellow  colle- 
gian, Judge  Caton,  of  Illinois,  speaks  of  Mr.  Smith  in 
a  Commencement  Address,  "After  he  had  received  the 
lessons  and  honors  of  this  Institution,  he  studied  the 
profession  of  the  law,  in  which  he  gave  bright  promise 
of  success,  when  he  joined  the  teeming  throng  whose 
face  was  turned  towards  the  West,  and  settled  in  the 
wilderness  of  Wisconsin.  Its  shades  could  not  hide  his 
great  executive  talent,  and  the  first  railroad  that  point- 
ed towards  his  new  home  claimed  him  for  its  own. 
For  twelve  years  he  has  been  one  of  the  great  railroad 
spirits  of  the  West,  and  with  the  aid  of  other  great 
minds  in  unison  with  his  own,  he  has  raised  his  com- 
pany to  the  exalted  position  of  owning  more  miles  of 
road  than  any  other  company  in  the  United  States. 
In  the  midst  of  his  toils  and  triumphs,  he  has  not  for- 
gotten where  the  foundation  was  laid,  but  he  has.  with 
a  noble  generosity,  contributed  one-half  of  the  cost  of 
this  building." 

The  many  laymen  on  this  field  noticeable  for  their 
excellence  and  usefulness,  merit  a  sketch,  but  it  would 
he  loo  voluminous  for  these  pages.  Mention  can  be 
made  of  only  a.  very  few,  and  most  of  them  of  the  num- 
ber known  t<>  the  churches  generally,  as  well  as  to  the 
congregations  of  which  they  were  members,  or  whose 
works  eximded  largely  beyond  their  own  immediate 
communities. 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  695 

Reference  has  already  been  made  to  Johx  LlNKLAEN, 
a  permanent  officer  of  one  of  our  Presbyteries,  as  well 
as  an  invaluable  member  and  elder  of  the  Cazenovia 
Church,  and  of  distinguished  repute  throughout  this 
part  of  the  State.  In  speaking  of  him,  I  quote  freely,, 
but  not  always  literally,  from  Mrs.  L.  M.  Hammond'.- 
History  of  Madison  county  : 

Jan  Von  Lincklaen  was  born  in  Amsterdam,  Holland,  December 
24,  1768.     His  boyhood   was   principally  passed  in   Switzerland, 
where  he  was  educated  by  a  private  tutor.     At  the  age  of  14  he- 
entered  the  Dutch  Navy,  remaining  in  the  service  for  some  years, 
and  obtaining  promotion  to  the  rank  of  Lieutenant.     He  visited, 
in  his  cruises,  the  most  important  places  in  Europe  and  Asia,  and 
passed  considerable  time  in  Smyrna  and  Ceylon.     In  1790  he  came 
to  this  country  under  the  patronage  of  Mr.  Stadnitski,  of  Amster- 
dam, principal  director  of  the  Holland  Land  Company's  affairs  in 
America.     In  1792,  he  penetrated  the  wilderness  of  Central  New 
York,  and   surveyed    the   land   subsequently   purchased  by  this 
Company,  and  early  in  1793  he  was  entrusted  with  the  agency  of 
the  tract,  and  commenced  the  settlement  of  Cazenovia,   naming 
it  after  his  friend  Mr.  Cazenove,  an  Italian.     He  laid  out  roads, 
built  bridges,  erected  mills  and  warehouses,  and  soon  found  him- 
self in  a  prosperous   community.     Thus   he   labored    for   nearly 
thirty  years,  winning  a  reputation  for  integrity  and  accuracy,  and 
proving  a  good  neighbor  and  a  friend  to  the  poor.     He  was  also 
connected  with  the  Holland  Land  Company's  purchase  in  Genesee 
county.     Non-residents   were  disqualified  for  holding  real  estate, 
and  this  property  was  deeded  to   three  individuals,   one  of  them 
Mr.  Lincklaen,  who  held  and  sold  it  for  the  Company.     Hifl 
sonal  acquaintances  comprehended   many    learned    and    distin- 
guished men,  and  his  reading  included  English.  Dutch  and  French 
books     Grace fal  in  person,  always  elegant  in  dress  and  manner. 
and  with  a  general  air  •>f  refinement,  he  was  marked  as  of  na 
ture's  superior  types  of  men.     His  culture  separated  him  from 
the  mass,  but  against  his  will,  and  made  him  awkward  in  attempt 
ting  to  mingle  with  them.     Dr.  Vanderkemp  and  Col.  Mappawere 
two  of  his  most  intimate  friends,  and  both  being  Unitarians,  for  a 
time    Influenced  his   religious    views.      Hut   a   revival   of   religion 


696  PRESB  YTERIA  NISM  IN  THE 

under  the  ministry  of  Dr.  Brown  recovered  him  for  orthodoxy; 
and  made  a  subject  of  renewing  ijrace,  he  united  with  the  Caze- 
novia  Church,  and  became  a  pillar  for  support  and  a  power  for 
achievement,  not  only  there,  but  also  and  almost  equally  in  the 
Presbytery. 

Thomas  Hastings,  one  of  the  eleven  children  of 
Dr.  Seth  Hastings,  physician  and  farmer,  was  born  in 
Washington,  Litchfield  county,  Ct.,  October  15,  1784. 
The  family,  with  a  company  of  neighbors,  moved  to 
Clinton,  Oneida  county,  in  1796.  making  the  journey 
in  winter  on  ox  sleighs  and  ox  sleds.  The  country  to 
which  they  came  was  an  almost  perfect  wilderness. 
"  The  first  time  I  passed  through  Utica,"  Mr.  Hastings 
once  wrote,  "  the  primitive  forest  had  been  recently  re- 
moved and  the  stumps  of  the  trees  were  thickly 
shrouded  with  snow.  The  place,  bating  one  or  two 
shanties,  was  an  unbroken  solitude."  His  summers 
were  spent  on  his  father's  farm  and  his  winters  at  school, 
and  for  two  seasons  he  walked  six  miles  daily  to  the 
academy  in  Clinton,  braving  storms  and  cold,  and 
plunging  through  snow,  slush  and  mud.  He  early 
began  the  study  oi  music,  a  six  penny  gamut  of  four 
pages  being  his  firsl  text-book.  This  he  mastered,  and 
then  learned  the  tunes  in  an  old  Psalm  book.  Such 
was  the  repute  lie  thus  gained,  that  the  village  church 
chose  him  third  chorister,  and  soon  he  became  virtually 
the  first  The  success  he  achieved  inspired  him  with 
the  thought  that  his  vocation  was  diselosed.  Very 
defective  vision  had  made  it  a  problem  to  what  he  was 
called,  and  cost  him  anxiety  and  discouragement.  An 
older  brother,  about  this  time,  presented  him  with  an 
elaborate   treatise  <>n  music,    bought   at  auction,   and 


SYNOD  OF  VENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  697 

though  profoundly  scientific,  Mr.  Hastings  patiently 
studied  it  until  he  thoroughly  understood  it.  In  1805 
he  visited  several  of  the  neighboring  parishes  with  a 
view  to  the  opening  of  singing  schools,  but  the  people 
distrusted  his  ability  to  conduct  them,  because  of  his 
very  poor  eye-sight.  This  quite  disheartened  him,  but 
in  1806  he  was  invited  to  Bridgewater,  Oneida  county, 
and  to  Brookfield,  Herkimer  county,  and  there  began 
the  teaching  which  he  afterwards  pursued  as  his  pro- 
fession. He  encountered  difficulties  and  embarrass- 
ments in  the  outset,  before  which  he  might  well  have 
quailed.  His  excessive  near-sightedness,  and  the  habit 
of  the  times  to  make  singing  schools  young  people's 
places  of  amusement,  might  reasonably  have  appeared 
insuperable  hindrances  to  him.  The  labor  of  preparing 
the  lessons  in  manuscript,  from  the  want  of  suitable 
note-books,  was  also  imposed  upon  him  —  musical 
taste  was  to  be  created  and  reformed,  and  jealous  rivals 
were  to  be  withstood.  This  work  and  struggle  he 
kepi  up  for  three  Beasons,  and  achieved  success  and 
came  oif  in  triumph.  Ee  then  spenl  a  year  in  busi- 
ness,  and  afterwards  four  years  in  managing  his  father's 
farm,  but  iii  Lbl6,  resumed  the  leaching  of  music,  and 
his  engagements  soon  carried  him  over  Central  and 
Western  New  York.  In  1818  he  was  invited  to  spend 
the  winter  in  Troy,  where  he  conducted  a  large  school 
and  organized  an  emcienl  choir  for  one  of  the  churches. 
lie  then  went  to  Albany  as  chorister  in  the  Second 
Church.  He  took  his  stand  immediately  in  front  of  the 
pulpit,  where,  with  tin-  fine  tenor  of  the  pastor,  (Dr. 
John  Chester,  predecessor  of  Dr,  Win.  B.  Sprague,)and 
an  effective  alto,  and  a  strong  bass,  and  a  full  toned  so- 


698  PRESBYTERIAN  ISM  IN  THE 

prano  in  the  front  pew,  he  led  the  singing  of  the  con 
gregation.  In  the  autumn  of  1823  he  accepted  the 
editorial  chair  of  the  Recorder,  a  new  religious  news- 
paper published  in  Utica,  and  filled  it  until  the  issue 
of  the  ninth  volume.  He  spent  a  winter  in  Albany 
and  Troy,  where  he  was  invited  to  labor  for  "the 
improvement  of  Psalmody  in  the  churches,"  and  in 
1832  he  was  called  to  New  York  by  twelve  churches, 
to  try  an  experiment  in  reforming  their  music,  and 
here  was  the  centre  of  his  activities,  until  he  laid  down 
to  his  final  rest. 

Mr.  Hastings  was  no  routine  teacher  of  sacred  music, 
neither  did  he  practice  his  profession  merely  from  a 
love  of  music,  or  as  a  means  of  support,  and  less  still 
for  the  sake  of  distinction  and  gain.  He  was  a  re- 
former in  it,  and  had  a  distinct  idea  of  what  sacred 
music  was,  and  of  the  mode  in  which  it  should  be  con- 
ducted, and  he  sought  to  have  it  employed  for  its 
proper  and  invaluable  purposes.     He  said  : 

Keligion  has  substantially  the  same  claim  in  song  as  in  speech. 
Praise  and  prayer,  therefore,  though  circumstantially  different, 
are  the  same  in  spirituality.  Neither  the  one  or  the  other  admits 
of  representative  worship.  Personated  devotion  is  appropriate 
only  in  the  drama.  Even  there,  as  in  concerts  and  in  musical 
conventions,  it  is  continually  exposed  to  abuse.  Religious  music, 
properly  so  called,  has  fundamental  principles  which  are  invaria- 
ble, and  the  leading  elements  of  style  must  be  equally  so.  These 
should  never  be  subject  to  those  fluctuations  of  manner,  which, 
like  fashion  in  dress,  are  chiefly  remarkable  for  novelty." 

"  Let  every  thing  that  hath  breath  praise  the  Lord," 
was  a  motto  with  him.  He  insisted  on  it  that  all  could 
learn  to  sing,  and  that  it  was  tin4  duty  of  all  to  join  in 
the  service  of  praise  Bis  procedure  in  New  York,  as 
described  by  himself,  illustrates  his  thoughts: 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  699 

I  attended,  at  various  times,  the  churches'among  which  I  was 
called  to  labor.  Some  of  these  had  choirs,  others  preferred  the 
congregational  style,  while  all  were  desirous  of  improvement  on 
a  right  general  basis.  The  nature  of  this  was  sufficiently  plain. 
Music,  as  an  art,  might  be  pursued  in  the  parlor,  as  it  had  been, 
but  music  which  was  to  set  forth  with  energy  and  pathos  the  sol- 
emn utterances  of  praise,  required  specific  Christian  training. 
This  determination  was  fundamental  with  us.  If  Christians 
sought  the  gratification  of  taste  merely,  they  had  ready  access  to 
the  concert  and  the  oratorio  ;  but  applying  music  to  the  language 
of  their  devotion  was  an  entirely  different  matter,  requiring  per- 
sonal exertions  and  sacrifices.  Psalmody,  therefore,  was  to  be 
placed  on  the  same  common  basis  with  other  religious  enterprises. 
Existing  volunteer  choirs  were  to  be  thoroughly  drilled,  new  ones 
constituted,  while  the  congregations  at  large  were  to  receive  in- 
struction. Two  or  three  churches  were  combined  in  each  even- 
ing's labors.  Afternoons,  at  one  central  place,  were  devoted  to 
instruction  in  the  rudiments  of  notation.  These  were  open  to  all 
the  city,  and  thousands  of  the  population  attended.  These  gained 
sufficient  skill  to  unite  in  the  evening  classes,  and  these  gave 
place  to  others  equally  destitute  of  information,  so  that  the  whole 
course  necessarily  consisted  of  repetitions  of  the  simplest  initia 
tory  exercises  upon  the  floating  masses  which  attended.  The 
plan  seemed  successful.  The  meetings,  afternoon  and  evenings, 
were  well  attended.  The  people  had  a  mind  to  work,  and  there 
was  very  little  to  hinder  them. 

Mr.  Hastings  became  a  prolific  writer  for  the  pi 
particularly  in  the  advocacy  of  his  professional  views. 
setting  them  forth  in  the  editorials  of  the  "Recorder," 
and  for  a  long  succession  of  years  in   frequenl 
per  articles,  and  in  occasional  pamphlets     Be  encoun- 
tered  criticism   and    opposition  and   hostility,  and    was 
driven  into  controversy,  bu1  though  adherence  to  his 
principles  cost  him  the  loss  of  popularity  at  times,  and 
the  foregoing  i  >f  em<  tlumenl  he  c<  >uld  easily  and  lai  j 
have  made,  he  never  abandoned   them  for  favor,  or 
money,  or  repose.    Persisting  in  the  maintenance  and  fur- 


700  PRESB  YTER1A  N1SM  IN  THE 

fcheranceofwhat  he  intelligently  and  deliberately  and  cod- 
scientiously  embraced,  amid  trials  and  discouragements 

that  few  could  have  withstood,  and  that  again  and  again 
almost  disheartened  him,  and  submitting  to  sacrifices  that 
few  could  bear,  it  must  have  gratified  him  in  the  end  to 
know  something  of  what  he  achieved.  The  Chatham 
St.  Chapel  and  the  Broadway  Church  music,  and  the 
performances  of  the  choir  under  his  lead  on  anniver- 
sary occasions  for  several  years,  the  reverberations  of 
which  linger  in  many  ears,  if  not  reward  enough  for 
what  he  had  suffered  and  done,  were  indications  of 
what  he  had  achieved  on  the  broad  field  of  his  labors. 
"  Whatever  true  reforms  were  made  in  the  spirit  of 
praise  during  the  first  half  of  the  present  century,  were 
largely  accomplished  by  and  through  him.  During 
that  forming  period  of  the  church, — that  time  of  great 
revivals, — he  successfully  trained  thousands  in  the 
church,  the  school  and  the  home.  Many  of  these  are 
no  longer  dwellers  on  the  earth,  but  they  did  not  die 
until  they  themselves  had  trained  many  others,  and 
put  his  principles  in  practice  in  all  parts  of  the  land, 
and  in  islands  and  countries  beyond  the  sea.  Foryears 
his  name  was  a  household  word,  and  his  music  familiar 
strains  in  Christian  dwellings  of  every  name  and  class; 
and  even  to-dav  his  form  and  face  rise  before  a  multi- 
tude of  those  who  knew  and  loved  him,  and  who  retain 
the  outline  and  expression  with  a  vividness  that  neither 
pencil  nor  pen   could   portray.*     His  early  labors  as 

*  Dr.  Moses  M.  Hsiirp,  of  Htica,  in  the  course  of  a  letter  penned 
on  the  occasion  of  the  semi  centennial  <>f  the  First  Church,  Ttica, 
Sunday  school,  writes:  "I  can  still  see  Mr  Hastings,  with  his 
venerable-looking  head  bowed  down  in  astonishing  proximity  to 
hifl  notes,  or  vragging  rigorously  in  unison  with  his  ivory-headed 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  fOl 

editor  and  compiler  of  musical  works  were  invaluable 
to  the  church  at  large,  and  his  publications  but  the 
heralds  of  scores  that  have  since  followed,  many  of 
which  would  never  have  had  an  existence  but  for  him." 

i   Oneida  county  Musical  Society,  with  President 
Backus  at  the  head  of  it.  was  formed  in  1816.  and  here 

the  origin  of  the  various  music   books  which  Dr. 
Hastings  published.     There  were  none  of  these  at  hand 
for  the  use  of  the  members.     Mr.  Hastings,  in  connec- 
tion with  Prof.  Norton,  of  Hamilton  College,  compiled 
two   pamplets.  which   grew   to  a  volume. — the   famous 
••  Musica  Sacra."     This   was  subsequently  united  with 
tin-  "Springfield  Collection."  edited  by  Col.  Warriner, 
which  passed  through  many  editions.      "The  Manhat- 
tan Collection*'  followed  i  U),  -  The  - 
cred  Lyre," — in  1&4T,  "The  Psalmodist."   prepared   by 
him  in  connection   with  W.  B.  Bradbury, — the  "  Cho- 
ralist,''  in  1847. — the  Mendelssohn  Collection,  in  I 
—the  "Psalmista,"   in    L851,— and   "Selah,"  in  :- 
which  he  regarded  as  the  best  he  hud  prepared.     "  In 
1858,  in  connection  with   his  son,  Rev.   Dr.  Thon 
Hastings,  he  brought  out  "Church  Melodies,"  a  work 
which,  with  the  exception  of  the  Ply  mouth  Collection. 
was  the  first  of  the  kind,  in  the  breadth  of  it.-  plan,  de- 
signed  to  pi                           tional   Binging.      He    had 

iously  edited  for  the  Methodist  Church,  the  "In- 
dian  Melodies,"   for  the   American  Tract  Societ] 


cane, to  mark  the  time  for  his  lagging  class.  It  was  thai  same 
white  head  which  confront. -.1  qi  every  Sabbath  in  (he  old  brick 
church,  whenever  w<  r  eyei  from  the  pulpit  to  the  organ 

loft,  and  which  seemed  aa  essential  to  the  ministrations  of  the 
sanctuary  as  any  minister  whoever  filled  its  pulpit." 


702  PRESBYTERIANISM  IN  THE 

editions  of  "  Sacred  Songs"  and  one  of  "  Songs  of  Zion," 
and  the  "Presbyterian  Psalmodist"  and  "Juvenile 
Psalmodist,"  for  the  Presbyterian  Church.  His  earliest 
work  was  "  Spiritual  Songs,"  famous  in  its  day.  He 
also  published  "  Nursery  Songs,"  a  collection  of  hymns 
for  Mothers'  Meetings,  a  volume  of  original  hymns, 
one  of  Sacred  Praise,  and  "  Essays  on  Prayer."  His 
contributions  to  the  newspaper  and  periodical  press 
through  all  these  years  were  almost  without  intermis- 
sion, and  among  his  papers  was  found  an  unfinished 
article  for  the  N.  Y.  Evangelist,  upon  which  he  was  en- 
gaged a  few  days  before  his  death/' 

"  The  current  hymnology  was  in  many  respects  un- 
satisfactory. A  large  portion  of  it  could  not  be  effect- 
ively sung,  and  still  another  portion  of  it  was  almost 
useless,  because  of  the  palpable  defects  and  blemishesr 
while  there  was  a  want  of  hymns  adapted  to  the  new 
and  beautiful  metres.  In  addition,  the  readings  were 
exceedingly  various,  not  only  in  England,  but  in  this 
country.  These  facts  led  him  to  prepare  the  "  Chris- 
tian Psalmist,"  which  he  published  in  1836.  Though 
much  criticised,  the  book  found  friends  and  gained  a 
wide  circulation.  The  exigences  of  musical  adaptation 
had  also  led  him  for  several  years  to  task  his  own  pow- 
ers in  amending  some  impracticable  passages  in  the 
language  of  a  hymn,  and  in  adding  an  occasional  stanza, 
which  seemed  to  be  much  needed.  lie  was  sometimes 
led,  wlicn  he  failed  t<>  find  what  he  deemed  just  the 
needed  words  for  a  particular  tune,  to  write  an  entire 
hymn.  Many  of  these  hymns,  at  first  published  anony- 
mously, have  obtained  a  wide  currency  at  home  and 
abroad.''       He    composed    600,    many    of    them    pub- 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  70S 

lished,  and  not  a  few  well  known  and  prized,  such 
as  "Why  that  Look  of  Sadness,"  "Gently,  Lord,  O 
Gently  Lead  Us,"  k%  How  Calm  and  Beautiful  the  Mom," 
"Child  of  Sin  and  Sorrow,"  "Why  Lament  the  Chris- 
tian Dying,"  "  Pilgrims  in  this  Yale  of  Sorrow,**  *  "While 
such  tunes  as  Chester,  Zoar,  Zadoc,  Rock  of  Ages. 
Westley,  Ortonville  and  others,  continued  to  circulate 
widely,  even  through  rival  publications,  and  were  ex- 
tensively employed  by  the  people  of  God  in  the  hal- 
lowed aspirations  of  praise." 

"As  widely  as  he  was  known  and  beloved  in  his 
public  labors,  those  only  knew  him  well  who  were  ac- 
customed to  meet  him  in  social  life.  He  had  a  mar- 
vellous kindness  of  heart,  a  serenity  of  temper  and  a 
gentleness  of  manner  rarely  found  in  men.  During  his 
youth  and -up  to  the  period  of  his  early  manhood,  he 
had  long  and  bitter  spiritual  struggles.  Few  of  the 
many  who  afterwards  came  within  the  play  of  his 
sunny,  cheerful,  oftentimes  buoyant  religious  life,  little 
dreamed  that  he  had  known  what  it  was  to  dwell  long 
in  the  shadowy  region  of  doubt  and  fear.  The  disci- 
pline of  life,  its  sorrows,  its  cares  and  its  anxieties, 
had  only  served  to  make  more  symmetric  his  Christian 
character.  He  was  a  diligent  student  oi  the  Scriptures. 
was  in  himself  a  concordance,  and  his  own  copies  of 
the  Word  of  God  form  quite  a  little  library.  Be 
on  the  Divine  Word,  and  his  knowledge  of  it  combined 


*  In  a  letter  to  the  writer,  he  BE]  -      "  Another  little  Item  maj 
not  be  destitute  «>f  interest,    The  hymn,   'Now  be  the  (Jospel 

Banner,'  which  had  so  wide  B  circulation    In    this   country  ami    in 

England,  was  com  posed  expressly  for  use  at  the    CJtica  Anniver- 
saries." 


704  PRESBYTER1AN1SM  IN  THE 

with  his  own  ripe  Christian  character,  and  his  long 
and  close  observation  made  him  a  wise  and  suc- 
cessful teacher  of  others  in  religious  things.  Yet 
childlike  as  he  was  in  spirit,  there  was,  neverthe- 
less, in  and  about  him,  a  personal  force,  a  depth  of 
feeling,  a  clearness  of  conviction,  a  rigidity  of  purpose, 
a  manly  piety,  and  all  so  united,  so  tempered  and  re- 
fined, that  few  could  resist  his  influence.  No  one  un- 
familiar with  his  manner  of  life,  could  form  a  concep- 
tion of  his  industry  and  steady  application.  With  his 
imperfect  eyesight,  it  seems  a  marvel  that  he  accom- 
plished so  much  with  eye  and  hand."  One  has  happily 
described  him  in  a  single  short  sentence  :  "  He  was  as 
full  of  poetry  as  David  and  of  love  as  John,  and  de- 
lighted in  the  J03'  of  the  Lord." 

"  To  the  last  he  retained  the  free  use  of  his  faculties, 
his  habits  of  study  and  of  work,  and  a  lively  interest 
in  the  public  affairs  of  the  church  and  of  the  world. 
A  few  days  illness,  in  which  he  suffered  little  bodily 
pain,  closed  his  long  and  well  spent  life,  May  15,  1872, 
in  the  88th  year  of  his  age.  '  He  was  not,  for  God 
took  him.*  " 

Mr.  Hastings  was  married  at  Buffalo,  September  15, 
1822,  to  Mary  Seymour,  who  survived  him.  "Of  our 
three  children,' '  he  said  in  a  letter  to  the  writer,  Octo- 
ber, 1866,  "  two  are  in  the  paradise  above,  and  one  re- 
mains as  pastor  of  the  people  with  whom  we  worship. 
He  was  baptized  into  your  church  by  Rev.  Dr.  Aiken, 
nearly  forty  years  ago.  They  all  became  pious  in  ju- 
venile years,  and  received  their  earliest  training  in 
[Jtica,  This  we  can  never  forget."  Of  these  three 
children,   one  married   Rev.  \V.  \Y.  Scudder,  of  India, 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  705 

where  she  died  in  1849.  Another  married  Rev.  Dr. 
George  W.  Wood,  of  the  Constantinople  Mission,  and 
a  Secretary  of  the  American  Board,  and  died  in  1862. 
The  third  is  Rev.  Dr.  Thomas  S.  Hastings,  of  the  West 
Presbyterian  Church,  New  York. 

Colonel  William  Williams  was  born  at  New 
Hartford,  Oneida  county,  October  12,  1787,  and  died 
at  Utica,  June  10,  1850.  He  was  widely  known  as  one 
of  the  two  principals  of  a  firm  doing  the  largest  print- 
ing and  publishing  business  west  of  Albany,  and  as  a 
prominent  citizen  and  newspaper  proprietor,  and  he  was 
familiarly  known  to  our  ministers  and  churches  as 
particularly  their  printer  and  publisher,  and  as  an  active, 
useful,  and  exemplary  Christian  and  ruling  elder.  He 
entered  the  office  of  his  relative,  William  McClean, 
the  pioneer  printer  of  Utica,  and  well  schooled  there,  lie 
formed  a  partnership,  long  maintained  with  his  brother- 
in-law,  Asahel  Seward,  a  kindred  spirit, — a  man  of  pro- 
verbial purity,  integrity  and  benevolence — one  of  the 
few  who  combine  energy,  positiveness,  and  firmness  with 
amiability,  and  kindness,  and  extensive  business  trans 
actions  with  unquestionable  liberality  and  fairn< 
The  firm  commenced  the  publication  of  the  Utica  /'>> 
trol\\\  1816,  and  continued  it,  under  different  names, 
until  1825.  They  supplied  the  infant  community 
throughout  the  territory  of  the  Synod  with  school 
books  and  reading  matter  generally;  and  when  the 
Western  Magazine,  afterwards  called  the  [Jtica  Christian 

*  Mr.  Seward  died  Feb.  1,  18:55,  aged  58  years,— "  triumphing 
in  faith,"  is  the  minute  in  the  First  Church.  Utica,  Sunday  school 
records,  "  and  long  a  valuable  resident  of  the  city." 


706  PRESB  YTERIA  NISM  IN  THE 

Magazine,  established  with  much  effort  by  the  Presbv- 
tery  of  Oneida  and  the  Association  of  Oneida,  in  1812, 
and  kept  in  being  by  no  less  effort,  and  highly  valued 
for  its  usefulness,  was  ready  to  expire,  or  had  already 
died,  Col.  Williams  appeared  in  Presbytery  and  offered 
to  carry  it  on,  or  revive  it,  with  the  Presbytery's  en- 
dorsement;  and  from  1822  to  1^26,  he  printed  and 
published  it  under  the  name  of  the  Utica  Christian  Re- 
pository. The  war  of  1812  was  his  summons  to  arms, 
and  he  took  a  place  on  the  staff  of  Gen.  Collins.  His 
tastes  and  aptitudes  well  fitted  him  for  military  life,  and 
he  exercised  and  indulged  them  in  times  of  peace,  and 
was  prominent  and  active  in  the  militia  of  the  State. 
But  the  dress  of  a  soldier  did  not  hide  his  religion,  nor 
hinder  its  duties.  A  mutual  friend  mentioned  to  me, 
many  years  since,  an  incident  that  illustrates  this, 
While  engaged  with  his  regiment  at  Rome,  the  weekly 
prayer  meeting  of  the  church  occurred,  and  Col.  Wil- 
liams entered  in  full  regimentals,  and  no  one  being 
present  to  conduct  the  exercises,  he  promptly  took  the 
chair  to  which  he  was  invited. 

Says  John  H.  Edmunds,  Esq.,  of  Utica  : 

It  always  seemed  to  me  that  Mr.  William  Williams  was  the 
ruling  spirit  of  the  school  (First  Utica),  in  its  early  days,  of  which 
he  was  long  a  teacher  and  superintendent.  He  was  older  than 
most  of  the  teachers,  although  then  in  the  prime  of  life.  His  re- 
ligious, social  and  business  position  was  high.  Of  great  energy 
enterprise  and  liberality,  he  filled  most  acceptably,  at  an  early 
age,  high  stations  in  the  church,  in  municipal  and  military  affairs 
and  as  an  enlightened,  earnest  and  devoted  Christian  was  very 
conspicuous.  I  can  never  forget  the  impression  he  made  upon 
me  in  the  school,  an  impression  which  was  felt  by  all  the  schol- 
ars. His  personal  appearance  was  very  prepossessing.  Of  noble 
presence  and  great  dignity  and  suavity  of  manners,  we  respected 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  ,  ( . ," 

and  loved  him.  He  was  the  very  pattern  of  a  Christian  gentle 
man.  And  his  influence  was  felt  long  aft^r  his  multifarious  pur 
suits,  and  especially  his  engagements  with  the  Bible  class  in  the 
church,  obliged  him  to  yield  the  personal  management  of  the 
school  to  younger  men.  His  interest  in  it  never  abated.  Many 
of  the  teachers  were  his  apprentices  and  clerks,  whom  he  care- 
fully trained,  not  only  in  their  trade  and  in  business,  but  most  of 
all  in  religion.  He  was  for  many  years  at  the  head  of  the  largest 
printing  house  in  Western  New  York,  and  had  a  large  number  of 
young  men  in  his  employ,  most  of  whom  became  decided  Chris- 
tians under  his  influence.  It  would  be  an  interesting  inquiry, 
how  many  devoted  religious  young  men  went  forth  from  his  es- 
tablishment and  became  conspicuous  in  after  life  in  walks  of  use- 
fulness, as  ministers,  missionaries  and  Sunday  school  teachers. 
The  number  was  surprisingly  large." 

Says  William  Tracy,  Esq.,  formerly   of  TJtica,    lmt 
now  of  New  York  : 

William  Williams  has  been  alluded  to  as  prominent  in  political 
and  military  affairs.  That,  however,  was  but  an  insignificant 
part  of  his  history.  It  was  in  the  church,  as  one  of  its  earliest 
and  most  honored  office-bearers,  and  in  the  community  as  one  of 
the  most  benevolent,  self-sacrificing  and  active  promoters  of  every 
enterprise  to  increase  the  happiness  and  alleviate  the  sufferings 
of  humanity,  that  all  who  knew  him  best  remember  him.  They 
who  survive  of  the  inhabitants  of  Utica  during  the  first  visits 
tion  of  the  cholera  in  L832,  will  sever  forget  his  services  to  the 
sick  and  dying,  as  well  as  to  those  who,  from  poverty,  were  una- 
ble to  fly  from  the  pestilence,  and  whose  daily  earnings  were  cut 
off  by  the  suspension  of  business.  It  was  not  only  from  morn 
to  night,  bat  from  early  morn  to  early  morn  that  he  was  seen 
driving  from  house  to  house,  prescribing  for.  comforting  and  en- 
couraging the  sick  and  smothing  the  pillow  of  the  dying,  and  dis- 
tributing to  the  needy,  until  he  himself  was  stricken  down  bj 
the  disease,  from  which  he  was  slow  to  recover.  His  fao-,  always 
beaming  with  benevolence,  cheered  everj  sick  room,  and  to  many 
a  sufferer  operated  as  a  restorative  of  life  when  hop.-  was  almost 
gone." 

Says   Frederick   S.  Winston,   Esq.,  the  well   known 

President  of  the  Mutual  [nsurance  Company,  N.  Y. 


708  PRESBYTERIAN  JSM  li\  THE 

While  a  youth  of  seventeen,  a  clerk  in  the  mercantile  house  of 
Doolittle  and  Gold,  I  lodged  in  the  store,  as  the  custom  then  was 
in  your  city.  One  Sunday  morning,  as  I  passed  into  Genesee 
street,  I  was  met  by  Mr.  William  Williams,  who  took  me  by  the 
arm,  inviting  me  to  go  with  him,  and  saying  that  he  had  some- 
thing for  me  to  do.  He  was  then  in  the  vigor  of  his  manhood,  an 
officer  in  the  church,  at  the  head  of  the  military  organization  of 
the  city,  and  often  called  upon  to  direct  the  fire  department,  and 
in  other  emergencies  requiring  unusual  self-possession,  energy 
and  intelligence.  Such  was  the  magnetism  and  attractiveness  of 
his  manner  and  my  veneration  for  his  character,  that  I  cheerfully 
gave  myself  up  to  his  guidance  and  direction.  He  led  me  to  the 
Sunday  school,  then,  in  1823,  held  in  the  public  school  room  near 
the  canal,  of  which  he  was  superintendent,  and  Mr.  Truman  Par- 
melee  the  assistant.  They  immediately  collected  for  me  a  class 
of  little  boys,  whose  bright  and  intelligent  countenances  and 
nervous  susceptibilities  are  as  freshly  pictured  upon  my  memory 
as  if  the  scene  was  of  yesterday.  That  they  interested  me  far 
more  than  I  could  interest  them,  you  will  readily  believe,  when  I 
tell  you  that  among  them  were  Alexander  S  Johnson  (U.  S.  District 
Judge),  John  H.  Edmonds,  Alexander  Seward  and  Erastus  Clark, 
Esqs  ,  (lawyers  in  Utica),  James  M.  Hoyt,  Esq.,  (lawyer  in  Cleve- 
land), Rev.  Dr.  Edward  Bright,  (the  editor  of  the  New  York  Ex- 
aminer and  Chronicle),  Henry  S.  Lansing,  Esq.,  and  W.  Frederick 
Williams,  (the  missionary). 

Business  reverses  overtook  Col.  Williams,  but  they 
never  shook  the  universal  confidence  in  him  nor  weak- 
ened his  faith  in  Grod,  and  for  the  last  nine  years  of 
his  life  he  suffered  sadly  from  an  injury  to  his  brain 
produced  by  the  overturning  of  a  stagecoach.  He  was 
married  twice,  -first  to  Sophia  Wells,  four  of  whose 
fourteen  children  live  :  and  second  to  Catharine,  daugh- 
ter of  Hon.  Henry  Huntington,  of  Home,  whose  two 
sons  preceded  her  in  death.  S.  Wells  Williams,  LL.  D., 
until  recently  <>f  China,  Henry  Dwight  Williams,  Esq., 
of  New  York.  Robert  S.  Williams,  Esq.,  cashier  of 
the  Oneida    National  Bank  and  a   ruling  elder  of  the 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  f09 

First  Church,  Utica,  and  Mrs.  J.  V.  P.  Gardiner,  of 
Utica,  are  the  children  of  Col.  Williams,  now  living, 
and  W.  Frederick  Williams.  D.  D.,  of  Mosul  and  Mar- 
din,  was  his  son. 

The  name  of  John  Fine  is  as  familiar  to  the 
Synod  as  that  of  any  minister  who  has  lived  within 
its  bounds.  Indeed,  his  life  work  was  not  less  relig- 
ions and  ecclesiastical  than  secular.  Distinguished 
in  civil  affairs,  he  was  quite  as  busy  and  conspicuous 
in  spiritual  affairs.  Usefulness  was  his  occupation,  and 
law  his  profession.  Born  in  the  city  of  New  York, 
August  26,  1794.  he  was  educated  there,  graduating 
from  Columbia  College  in  the  fifteenth  year  of  his  age, 
and  next  to  the  head  of  his  class,  in  1809.  Hestudied  law 
four  years  with  Peter  \V.  Radcliff,  and  one  year  with  (i. 
W.  Strong,  and  attended  a  year's  course  of  lectures  in 
Judges  Reeve  &  Gould's  celebrated  law  school,  at  Litch- 
field, Ct.  In  lb  15  he  opened  an  office  in  St.  Lawrence 
county,  in  connection  with  Louis  Hasbrouck,  Esq.,  and 
the  partnership  continued  until  Mr.  Hasbrouck's  death 
m  1834  In  1>24  he  was  appointed  first  judge  of  the 
county,  and  reappointed  at  the  expiration  of  succ<  - 
terms  of  office  until  la;  retired  on  his  election  to  Con- 
gress, in  1888,  where  be  served  during  the  latter  of  Ins 
two  years  on  the  Committee  of  Foreign    Affairs.     In 

1844  he  was   again  |  »1 ; i«  « *<  I  on    the  bench,  and    sat  there 

until  tin-  reorganization  <»f  the  court-  in  ls47.  under 
the  new  Constitution  of  the  State,  and  it  ought  to  be 
noticed  thai  but  three  of  liis  decisions  forover  eighteen 
years  were  reversed.     In  L848  be  was  chosen  a  State 

Senator,    and    most    happily    impressed    himself  "ii  the 


710  PRESBYTERIAX18U  IN  THE 

legislation  during  his  period  of  service.  He  introduced 
the  laws  to  punish  seduction  criminally  and  to  protect  the 
property  of  married  women,  the  latter  materially  modify- 
ing common  law,  and  raising  woman  from  a  menial  and 
dependent  condition  in  regard  to  property,  and  putting 
her,  in  this  respect,  on  a  par  with  man.  The  princi- 
ple is  sanctioned  by  Christianity  and  advanced  civiliza- 
tion, and  can  never  be  eliminated  from  our  code.  In 
1847,  and  again  in  1849,  he  was  nominated  for  a  judge- 
ship in  the  Supreme  Court,  but  on  both  occasions  he 
was  defeated  by  that  great  lawyer  and  judge  and 
peerless  man,  Daniel  Cady,  of  Johnstown.  From  1821 
to  1833  he  acted  as  County  Treasurer,  and  on  resigning, 
the  Board  of  Supervisors  bore  unqualified  testimony  to 
the  ability,  accuracy  and  integrity  with  which  he  had 
discharged  his  trust,  and  consented  to  release  him  only 
because  the  duties  of  the  place  were  incompatible  with 
his  other  business.  In  1852  he  published  a  volume  of 
lectures  on  law,  prepared  for  his  sons,  of  which  Judge 
Cady  said:  "I  do  not  believe  there  is  another  work 
in  the  English  language  which  contains  so  much  legal 
information  in  so  few  words.  All  I  read  and  hear  of 
the  lectures,  strengthens  my  conviction  that  they  should 
be  in  the  hands  of  every  student  who  wishes  to  acquire, 
in  the  shortest  time,  a  knowledge  of  the  laws  of  his 
country. 

Judge  Fine,  as  already  observed,  was  quite  as  much 
identified  with  religion  as  with  statesmanship  and  law. 
Indeed,  the  latter  was  subordinated  to  the  former.  On 
removing  to  St.  Lawrence  county,  he  was  substantially 
a  superintendent  of  the  missionary  field  about  him,  and 
looked  after  the  waste  places  and    feeble  churches,  and 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  711 

was  constantly  consulted  about  them.  The  church  at 
Ogdensburg  was  weak  and  even  dilapidated  when  he 
joined  it,  and  he  looked  out  for  its  supplies  and  pastors, 
and  himself  took  charge  of  it  and  served  it.  He  was 
not  less  active  in  the  benevolent  societies  of  the  county, 
almost,  if  not  quite  invariably  placed  among  their  offi- 
cers, and  never  declining  or  failing  to  fulfill  their  as- 
signments of  labor,  however  onerous  or  humble, — ai  d 
in  every  movement  for  the  public  welfare — for  educa- 
tion or  reform,  or  aught  else  of  good,  he  was  sure  to 
take  a  leading  part.  And  he  suffered  no  nearsighted- 
ness, but  saw  the  state  of  his  entire  denomination,  and 
was  a  frequent  and  nearly  a  constant  member  of  the 
Presbytery  and  Synod,  and  often  and  prominently  a 
Commissioner  to  the'General  Assembly,  and  active  in 
planning  and  executing  its  schemes.  Notice  has  been 
taken  of  the  part  he  took  in  initiating  and  consummating 
the  ':  Re-union."  Such  a  measure  suited  his  large  and 
liberal  heart,  and  he  gave  to  it  all  his  treasures  of 
thought,  and  feeling,  and  energy. 

And  it  was  no1  the  externals  of  religion  and  of  the 
Church  alone  bo  which  be  was  devoted  He  sympa- 
thized with  their  spiritualities,  and  was  chiefly  engj 
for  them.  He  soughl  the  salvation  of  souls,  and 
quickly  responded  to  whatever  promised  conversions 
and  revivals.  Orthodox  and  conservative  Prom  taste 
and  conviction  and  culture,  be  allied  himself  to  the 
"Old  School  "  when  there  were  parties  in  the  church, 
and  when  "  Old  School  and  New  School "  constituted 
separate  bodies,  but  do  man  Old  School  or  N<  -a  sur 
passed  him  in  the  fervor  <>f  his  pietj  and  the  activity 
of  his  benevolence.     And  names  had  little  influence  in 


712  PRESBYTERIANISM  IN  THE 

determining  what  lie  approved  and  employed.  He 
cared  little  who  used  it,  or  what  it  was  called  in  decid- 
ing aboul  the  expediency  and  efficiency  of  a  method 
of  doing  good,  and  neither  favoritism  nor  prejudice 
was  permitted  by  him  to  endorse  or  repudiate  air  agent 
for  doing  good!  -I  udge  Fine's  name  is  the  proper  filling 
up  of  the  ellipses,  in  the  following  extract  from  Mr. 
Finney's  autobiography : 

While  laboring  at  De  Kalb,  I  first  became  acquainted  with  Mr- 
F.,  of  Ogdensburg.  He  heard  of  the  revival  at  De  Kalb,  and  came 
from  Ogdensburg,  some  sixteen  miles,  to  see  it.  He  was  wealthy 
and  very  benevolent.  He  proposed  to  employ  me  as  a  missionary  to 
work  in  the  towns  throughout  that  county,  and  he  would  pay  me  a 
salary.  However,  I  declined  to  pledge  myself  to  preach  in  any 
particular  place,  or  to  confine  my  labors  within  any  given  lines. 
Mr.  F.  spent  several  days  with  me  in  visiting  from  house  to  house, 
and  in  attending  our  meetings.  He  had  been  educated  in  Phila- 
delphia, [a  mistake]  an  Old  School  Presbyterian,  and  was  himself 
an  elder  in  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  Ogdensburg.  On  going 
away,  he  left  a  letter  for  me,  containing  three  $10  bills.  A  few 
days  later  he  came  up  again,  and  spent  two  or  three  days,  and  at- 
tended our  meetings,  and  became  every  much  interested  in  the 
work.  When  he  went  away  he  left  another  letter,  containing,  as 
before,  three  $10  bills.  Thus  I  found  myself  possessed  of  $00, 
with  which  I  Immediately  purchased  a  buggy.  Before  this  time, 
though  I  had  a  horse,  I  had  no  carriage,  and  my  young  wife  and 
myself  used  to  go  a  deal  on  foot  to  meeting. 

This  was  early  in  Mr.  Finney's  career.  He  devel- 
oped  somewhat  afterwards,  and  quite  possibly,  Judge 
Fine  would  have  hesitated  about  encouraging  him. 
Bu1  the  incident  discloses  the  spirituality  and  liberality 
of  his  sentiments.  "  He  sometimes  revealed  his  heart 
to  me,"  Rev.  Dr.  L.  Merrill  Miller  remarks:  '•  his  hope 
of  heaven  and  trusl  in  Christ  were  child-like,  full 
and  implicit,  accounting  the  righteousness  of  Christ  all 
sufficient,  and  his  faithfulness  for  ever  sure." 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  t  13 

Judge  Fine  died  in  1867,  when  73  years  old.  For 
66  years  he  served  as  ruling  elder  in  the  church  at 
Ogdensburg,  and  was  one  of  the  first  two  chosen  for 
the  office  there. 


The  churches  within  the  bounds  of  the  Synod,  contain- 
ed large  numbers  of  elders  and  private  members,  and  out 
of  the  category  of  public  men,  and  whose  names  were  n<  >t 
familiarly  known  abroad,  but  whose  saintliness  and 
beneficence  would  be  interesting  and  profitable  studies 
were  it  possible  to  record  them,  or  to  procure  the  mate- 
rials for  sketching  them.  Mention  may  be  made  of 
representatives  of  the  class.  Those  chosen  are  taken 
from  the  parish  of  the  writer  only  because  they  were 
best  known  to  him. 

Soon  after  my  settlement  in  Utica,  1  was  called 
upon  by  a  venerable  gentleman  of  rather  small  size, 
but  trim  figure,  and  whose  appearance  and  manner 
at  once  indicated  thought  and  culture.  His  coun- 
tenance was  serious,  and  I  can  hardly  recall  it  now. 
as  relaxed  and  brightened  with  smiles.  He  had 
in    his  hands   a  Copy  of    the  Septuagint,  and  this  is   the 

token  of  the  work  he  accomplished.  M\  visitor  was 
Walter  Kim..  Esq.  He  was  born  at  Norwich,  Ct, 
January  (>,  L786, — the  sou  of  a  Congregational  minister 
long  settled  there,  and  afterwards  in  Williamstown, 
Mass.  Be  graduated  at  Yale  College  in  1805,  a  class- 
mate of  President  Heman  Buraphrej  and  Thomas  II. 
Gallaudet.  Completing  his  law  studies  with  Erastus 
Clark,  Esq.,  of  Utica,  he  entered  into  a  partnership  with 
him,  which  lasted  until  that  gentleman's  death  in  1825, 
Pie  continued  practice  at  the  bar,  pari  of  the  time  in 


7 14  PRESS  YTER1A  N1SM  IN  THE 

connection  with  Judge  Dean,  until  the  failure  of  his 
health  in  1832,  compelled  him  to  retire,  and  he  sought 
resl  and  recovery  on  a  small  farm  in  Marcy,  across  the 
Mohawk, on  which  he  remained  for  twenty  years.  His 
deatli  took  place  very  suddenly,  July  26,  1852.  He 
was  a  ruling  elder  in  the  First  Church,  Utica,  for  many 
years,  and  when  he  moved  to  Marcy  lie  found  himself 
in  the  midst  of  a  community  without  a  religious  organ- 
ization and  without  a  place  for  preaching  and  worship. 
Every  variety  of  creed  was  represented  in  it,  and  the 
adherents  of  no  one  of  them  were  able  to  build  a  church 
and  sustain  public  ordinances.  Mainly  through  Mr. 
King's  instrumentality  an  association  was  formed  con- 
sisting of  Christians  of  several  evangelical  denomina- 
tions, and  a  chapel  was  erected  and  services  statedly 
held  in  it. 

The  Bible  class  was  chosen  by  Mr.  King  as  his  par- 
ticular field  of  labor,  and  not  satisfied  with  the  stores  of 
knowledge  that  he  bibught  into  it,  he  diligently  search- 
ed the  Scriptures,  and  not  satisfied  with  studying  these  in 
King  James's  version,  or  with  the  help  of  popular  com- 
mentators, he  took  them  up  in  their  original  languages 
and  supplied  himself  with  as  large  a  critical  apparatus  as 
many  professors  of  biblical  interpretation  possess.  He 
also  prepared  and  published  "The  Gospel  Harmony," 
based  substantially  on  Newcombe's  arrangement  It  is 
divided  into  lessons,  each  of  which  is  accompanied  by 
questions.  The  book  had  quite  an  extensive  circulation 
and  passed  through  several  editions. 

Win.  Tracy,  Esq.,  of  New  York,  says: 

After  a  successful  career  as  a  lawyer.  Mr.  King:  removed  to  a 
farm  some  three  miles  from  Utica,  where  he  spent  the  evening  of 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  j  15 

his  days.  He  was  a  man  of  varied  learning,  with  all  his  talents 
and  attainments  sanctified  to  the  mission  of  leading  soult*  to  Christ. 
With  most  genial  feelings  and  a  purely  catholic  spirit,  he  united 
a  singular  humility.  I  have  known  no  one  so  well  fitted  for  the 
duties  of  a  Bible  class  teacher,  or  more  successful  in  hi,<  effort-. 

Says  T.  W.  Seward,  Esq.,  of  Utica: 

The  year  that  I  passed  under  the  instructions  of  this  most  ex- 
cellent gentleman  and  profound  biblical  scholar,  was  one  of  great 
profit.  Mr.  King's  knowledge  of  sacred  literature  was  varied  and 
exact.  No  man  whom  I  have  ever  known  had  so  ready  a  way  of 
disposing  of  troublesome  questions  and  doubts.  In  warfare  with 
infidelity  he  was  a  gladiator.  Everything  weut  down  before  him. 
He  was  in  the  habit  of  giving  much  of  his  time  with  his  clas:-  to 
the  besetting  mistake  of  young  men,— unbelief,  and  he  did  wisely. 
More  than  all,  he  was  not  squeamish.  He  would  handle  the 
weapons  of  infidelity  as  the  magician  does  his  swords,  or  the  In- 
dian juggler  his  serpents,  and  he  bade  us  do  likewise  It  was  a 
high  compliment  he  paid  his  class, — and  in  complimenting  them 
lie  honored  himself, — when  he  bade  us  explore,  if  we  so  chose, 
"  the  dark  mountains  of  unbelief,"  and  pluck,  but  not  eat,  every 
poisoned  herb  that  grew  there. 

Trimax  Parmelee  was  apprenticed,  at  the  age  of 
14,  to  Merrell  cV  Hastings,  who  were  conducting  the 
business  of  printing  and  publication  in  Utica.  When 
aboul  17  ^ears  of  age  In-  was  attacked  with  typhus  fe- 
v«t.  and  just  escaped  with  his  lit'-'.  When  \w  hai 
far  recovered  as  to  be  exposed  t<>  no  danger,  Mr.  An- 
drew Merrell,  in  whose  family  he  was  living  and  one 
of  the  firm  with  whom  he  was  learning  his  trade,  read 
the  tract  "Eternity"  in  his  bearing;  and  that,  with  the 
conversation  which  followed,  resulted  in  his  happy  con- 
version. He  united  with  the  First  Church,  then  under 
the  care  of  Rev.  Henry  Dwight,  and  entered  the  Sab- 
bath school,  recently  established,  and  after  sen  ing  as  ;i 
teacher  there,   he   acted  as  superintendent   for  ten  or 


716  PRESBTTERIANISM  IN  THE 

twelve  years.  His  scholars  can  best  portray  him,  and 
describe  his  methods  of  teaching,  and  the  sources  of 
his  power.     Says  one  of  the  large  number: 

My  recollections  of  ray  old  teacher  and  friend  are  of  the  most 
delightful  character.  It  was  my  good  fortune  to  be  placed  under 
his  charge  at  a  very  early  age,  and  I  can  never  forget  the  deep 
and  tender  interest  he  ever  manifested  in  his  class,  and  in  every- 
thing that  pertained  to  them  I  am  as  averse  as  any  one  can  be 
to  extravagant  panegyric,  and  doubtless  if  I  had  known  my  friend 
as  an  equal  in  years  and  mixing  with  the  world.  I  should  have  seen 
in  him,  as  well  as  in  all  others,  the  bad  and  the  good  combined. 
But  he  went  from  us  before  I  could  thus  judge  him.  and  I  knew 
him  only  within  the  walls  of  the  Sunday  school,  and  there  he 
ever  appeared  to  me  as  nearly  perfect.  To  us,  his  pupils,  he  was 
all  gentleness  and  goodness.  He  ruled  literally  by  the  law  of 
love.  No  harsh  word  ever  fell  from  his  lips;  and  so  singular  was 
his  self-command  and  his  exceeding  amiability,  that  during  the 
many  years  1  was  under  his  care,  I  never  knew  him  to  give  way 
to  the  least  anger  or  even  petulance.  He  bore  with  our  follies,  our 
inattention  and  our  disobedience  with  wonderful  patience.  He  en- 
tered into  our  childish  feelings  so  thoroughly,  and  sympathized 
so  deeply  with  us,  that  he  seemed  like  one  of  us,  and  yet  still 
so  greatly  our  superior.  His  iufluence  over  us  was  unbounded,  so 
frank  and  generous  and  confiding  was  he,  and  so  entirely  devoted 
to  our  interests,  that  he  made  his  character  felt  by  us.  and  we 
that  he  was  our  best  friend.  He  was  unceasing  in  his  ef- 
forts to  render  the  Sunday  school  the  best  and  pleasantest  place 
we  could  find. 

"  He  tried  each  art,  reproved  each  dull  delay, 
Allured  to  brighter  world?,  and  led  the  way." 

^nd  it  was  evident  that  to  himself  it  was  the  happiest  spot,  for 
never  did  he  seem  so  much  to  enjoy  himself  as  with  his  class 
about  him.  In  this,  doubtless,  was  the  secret  of  his  success. 
We  felt  that  to  him  teaching  was  not  a  task,  but  a  delight.  It 
was  a  great  honor  to  belong  to  his  class,  and  so  esteemed  by  the 
And  not  only  in  the  Sunday  school  and  in  religious  matters 
was  he  earnest  in  our  behalf,  but  be  sought  opportunities  to  ad- 
vance us  in  life,  and  be  accomplished  much  good  in  this  way. 
In  abort,  bis  whole  heart  was  engaged  with  us  and  so  entirely 
did  be   seem  occupied  with  us  that,  in  my  simplicity,   I  supposed 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  "17 

he  had  nothing  to  do  but  to  care  for  us.  He  had  all  the  gentle- 
ness and  tenderness  of  a  woman,  with  the  firmness  and  energy  of 
a  man. 

Mr.  Parmelee,  it  should  be  remarked,  was  not  all 
heart.  He  had  a  fine  mind  and  a  strong  character. 
He  was  a  man  among  men,  commanding  respect  in 
business  circles  and  in  general  society,  and  everywhere 
accepted  as  a  peer.  He  started  in  life  with  small  and 
humble  beginnings,  but  schooled  himself  into  superior 
intelligence  and  disciplined  powers,  and  raised  himself 
to  the  highest  grade  in  the  community,  where  his  cheer 
mess  and  quick  wit  and  almost  frolicsomeness.  with 
his  sterling  qualities  and  attainments,  made  him  the 
best  and  most  agreeable  of  company.  The  accom- 
plished daughter  of  Judge  Jonas  Piatt  accepted  his 
hand, — her  father  long  distinguished  on  the  bench  of 
the  Supreme  Court,  a  leader  in  politics  and  statesman- 
ship, of  the  Federal  School,  and  an  incumbent  of  and 
a  candidate  for  the  highest  offices  in  the  State,  an  hon- 
ored and  honorable  gentleman,  and  one  of  the  old  ar- 
istocracy of  the  country. 

Mr.  Parmelee  manifested  more  than  good  feeling 
in  his  school.  While  he  addressed  tin-  heart,  he  in- 
formed the  mind.  The  habit  had  been,  as  elsewhere, 
to  spend  the  sessions  in  repeating  verses  ^(  Scripture 
committed  to  memory,  with  little  or  no  explanation  or 
application.  An  old  scholar  states  that  when  only  nine 
years  of  age  he  memorized  and  recited  a  hundred 
es  a  week.  Mi-.  Par  melee's  discrimination  detected 
the  mistake  thus  committed,  and  in  violation  of  p' 
dent  and  prejudice,  and  l>v  great  exertion,  he  intro- 
duced the  system  Bince  pursued,  and  was  one  of  three 
authors  who  simultaneously  prepared  the  first  question 


718  PlihSHYlERiANlSM  IN  1HK 

books  and  harmonies.  A  memorial  discourse  at  the 
semi-centennial  anniversary  of  the  New  York  Sunday 
School  Union,  Feb.  25,  1866,  states : 

It  is  worthy  of  notice  that  this  improvement  appearei  at  three 
points,  entirely  independent  of  each  other,  in  1824  :  First,  in  the 
Association  of  Superintendents  and  Teachers  of  the  N.  Y.  S.  S. 
Union;  second,  by  Mr.  Truman  Parmelee,  of  Utica,  N.  Y.,  of  the 
Oneida  County  S.  S.  Union;  and  third,  the  next  packet  from 
England  brought  intelligence  of  a  similar  plan  introduced  there. 

On  leaving  Utica,  Mr.  Parmelee  spent  a  short  time 
in  the  city  of  New  York.  He  v.  Dr.  Joel  Parker  de- 
scribes him  there,  and  in  New  Orleans,  where  he  sub- 
sequently settled : 

I  served  the  Oneida  county  S.  S.  Union  in  1826.  Truman  Par- 
melee made  all  the  arrangements  for  employing  me  at  $1  a  day# 
He  purchased  the  horse,  saddle  and  bridle,  and  furnished  money 
for  my  expenses.  I  sallied  forth  from  Utica  late  in  May  or  early 
in  June,  and  Parmelee  and  Wilson,  and  a  few  other  kindred  spir- 
its, stood,  all  grinning,  on  Main  street,  to  see  their  mission- 
ary go  forth  on  his  hard-trotting  Rosinante.  I  organized  five 
Tounty  Unions,  in  Onondaga,  Tompkins,  Cortland,  Chenango  and 
Otsego  counties,  and  after  three  months  returned  and  reported 
my  missionary  work.  I  commonly  made  an  address  each  day  in 
a  school  house  or  court  house,  and  three  addresses  on  Sunday  in 
churches.  I  commended  Mr.  Parmelee'^  school  everywhere  as  a 
model,  with  the  same  lesson  for  all  the  classes  and  the  superin- 
tendent questioning  all  the  scholars  My  intercourse  with  him 
led  to  his  joining  my  Dey  St.  Church  in  New  York,  where  he  be- 
came an  elder,  (and  it  may  be  added,  a  teacher).  It  also  resulted 
in  my  going  to  New  Orleans.  He  became  an  elder  there,  and 
built  the  church  on  the  square,  where  Dr.  Palmer  has  since 
preached  secession,  lie  built  it.  It  could  not  have  been  done 
without  him,  and  so  decided  had  been  his  influence  in  carrying 
the  enterprise  through,  that  when  Joseph  May  bin,  one  of  the 
elders,  insisted  on  giving  him  a  service  of  plate,  the  feeling  to  do 
so  was  so  strong  that  nothing  prevented  it  but  Mr.  Parmelee's 
refusing  to  accept  it." 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  j  19 

He  was  as  liberal  with  his  money  as  with  his  work. 
"  The  sums  he  gave  to  the  Presbyterian  cause  in  the 
capital  of  the  Southwest,  in  the  establishment  of  a  re 
ligious  press,  in  the  erection  of  the  First  Presbyterian 
Church  or  La  Fayette  Square,  were  very  large  gifts." 
Erastus  Clark,  Esq.,  remarks,  "rated  by  even  the  stan- 
dard of  to-day."'  Nearly  all  his  active  life  was  spent  in 
mercantile  pursuits,  and  in  entering  upon  them,  he 
made  a  solemn  covenant  to  devote  one-tenth  of  his  in- 
come to  benevolent  and  religious  objects,  and  this  he 
more  than  fulfilled  during  all  his  subsequent  days. 

Such  a  record,  it  might  be  presumed,  covers  a  pro- 
tracted space,  but  strange  to  tell,  Mr.  Parmelee  died  at 
the  age  of  only  49. 

Ministers  almost  invariably  find  WOMEN  their  princi- 
pal helpers,  and  no  account  of  Presbyterianism  in  Cen- 
tral  New  York  sketches  its  history,  that  leaves  them 
out.     Complaint  is   made  of  the  restrictions   laid  upon 
them,  and  of  the  narrow  sphere  allowed  them,  and  lar- 
ger prerogatives  and  a  wider  field  are  claimed  on  their 
behalf.     Bui  even  in  timeswhen  they  did  not  speak  in 
meetings  and  stand   on  platforms  and  in  pulpits,  they 
compared  well,  to  say  the  least,  with  men.     The  mod 
esty  of  tlic  sex  kepi  them  retired   from  the  public 
and  ear,  but  they  achieved  Done  the  less  from  laboring 
in  private.     Every  congregation  has  its  record  and  i1 
membrance  of  more  or  l<  i  for  their  usefulness 

and  excellence     No  effort  is  Deeded  to  bring  up  exam 
pies  <>f  the  class  to  any  mind     We  may  Dot  be  able  to 
recall  many  beyond  the  bounds  of  our  Beveral  parishes, 
but  those  living  in  each  of  these  illustrate  all  the 


720  PRESBYTERIANISM  IN  THE 

I  can  speak  of  a  considerable  company  whom  I  have 
known  in  my  pastorates,  or  whose  names  have  been 
household  words  there.  Let  me  mention  some  of  the 
number,  not  because  they  excelled  their  sisters  else- 
where, but  because  they  were  like  them,  and  because  I 
happened  to  know  them,  or  of  them,  and  because  some 
memoranda  of  their  characters  and  lives  lie  near  at 
hand. 

Mrs.  Sarah  K.  Clarke,  of  Utica,  was  early  widowed, 
and  left  to  provide  for  herself  and  her  family.  She 
opened  a  school  and  acquired  such  repute  as  a  teacher, 
that  when  the  First  Church  Sunday  school  first  filled 
the  office  of  female  superintendent,  she  reluctantly  con- 
sented to  take  the  place.  Dr.  M.  M.  Bagg  describes 
her  as  "so  masculine  in  her  understanding  and  so  fem- 
inine in  her  instincts  and  loveliness,  as  to  be  the  truest, 
best  picture  of  a 'strong-minded  woman.'"  "I  have 
no  more  distinct  recollection  of  my  mother,"  Hovey  K. 
Clarke,  Esq.,  of  Detroit,  remarks,  "than  that  of  her  stand- 
ing at  the  side  of  the  desk  in  the  session  room  and  con- 
ducting the  closing  exercises  of  the  school.  She  con- 
tinued in  this  service  as  long  as  she  lived.  My  last  recol- 
lection of  her  in  health,  is  in  consultation  with  Mr.  Par- 
melee,  a  few  days  before'  the  fourth  of  July,  1827,  about 
the  approaching  celebration  of  that  day  by  the  Sabbath 
schools  of  the  village."  Iler  spirit  in  the  work  she  per- 
formed, is  indicated  by  the  following  paper,  written  has- 
tily, on  the  occasion  of  the  last  Concert  of  Prayer  for 
Sunday  schools,  as  it  so  happened,  thai  she  attended: 

UTICA,  June  4th,  1827. 

This  evening  attended  the  Sabbath  School  Monthly  Concert, — 
heard  much   Interesting  intelligence,  and  much  to  call  forth  the 


SYNOD  OF  VENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  j  2  1 

sympathies  and  prayers  of  every  feeling  heart,  on  beholding  the 
moral  desolation,  the  vice  and  ignorance  which  pervade  a  great 
portion  of  our  country.  Now,  0,  my  Saviour,  let  the  subject  of 
Sabbath  schools  rest  with  deep  weight  on  my  heart.  By  the  grace 
of  God  assisting  me,  during  the  present  month,  I  will  endeavor, 
1st,  to  make  Sabbath  schools  more  a  subject  of  special  prayer. 
2d,  to  enlist  my  friends  and  acquaintances  more  in  the  cause;  and 
3d,  to  be  more  faithful  in  my  duties  in  the  school,  and  try  to 
make  the  exercises  more  interesting  and  profitable,  both  to  schol- 
ars and  visitors.  And  now,  O  Lord,  Thou  who  dost  witness  these 
my  resolutions,  grant  me  grace  to  put  them  into  practice,  and 
Thou  shalt  have  all  the  glory. 

She  died  in  the  midst  of  her  work,  1827,  and  "great 
lamentation  was  made  over"  her.  As  her  last  labors 
were  given  to  the  school,  so  her  last  words  were  ad- 
dressed to  it:  "Give  my  love  to  the  teachers.  I  hope 
they  will  feel  their  responsibility,  and  he  faithful" 
The  message  printed  on  ;i  card,  with  a  mourning  bor- 
der, was  suspended  on  the  walls  of  the  school  room, 
and  a  copy,  with  appropriate  Scriptures  annexed,  was 
given  to  every  teacher  and  scholar. 

Mrs.  Thomas  B.  Clark  was  well  known  in  her  day 
\<<\-  Christian  benevolence  and  enterprise.  Few  women 
surpassed  her  in  the  earnestness  of  her  zeal,  and  the 
activity  and  toilsomeness  and  constancy  of  her  useful- 
With  eye  perpetually  glancing  aboul  for  objects 
of  charity  and  religion,  she  was  in  perpetual  motion 
pursuing  them.  With  a  free  entree  from  her  position 
and  culture  Into  general  society,  .-he  was  too  busy  with 
labors  of  love  for  much  pari  in  it.  The  Sunday  school, 
enterprises  for  the  relief  of  the  Buffering  and  [><"»r.  and 

the    reclamation  of   the    vicious    ami    criminal,    and    the 

benefit   and  improvemenl  of  all  classes,  occupied   her 
outside  of  the  family,  where  she  was  as  faithful  as  if 
y  . 


722  PRESBTTERIANISM  IN  THE 

she  did  nothing  abroad.  So  well  was  she  understood, 
that  whenever  driving  out,  it  was  presumed  that  of 
course  she  was  on  some  mission  of  pity  or  piety. 

I  am  so  much  indebted  to  Mary  E.  Walker  Os- 
trom,  daughter  of  William  Walker,  Esq.,  and  wife  of 
Gen.  John  H.  Ostrom,  for  help  in  my  pastorship  at 
Utica,  and  so  highly  esteemed  her,  that  I  scarcely 
dare  to  trust  myself  in  any  language  about  her,  but 
repeat  for  the  most  part,  the  substance  of  what  the 
congregation  and  the  community  spoke  of  her.  She 
was  one  of  five  young  girls,  between  fourteen  and  six- 
teen years  of  age,  who,  October  16,  1816,  established 
a  Sunday  school  in  Utica.  The  children  of  the  church 
had  been  statedly  gathered  before  for  "  catechising"  by 
the  pastors,  and  Dominie  Marshall  had  inaugurated  some- 
thing like  a  Sunday  school  at  DeerfieM.  immediately 
across  the  Mohawk,  in  1804, — but  the  modern  institution 
was  introduced  here  by  Catharine  Bloodgood,  Catharine 
W.  Breese,  Sarah  A.  Malcolm,  Alida  M.  Van  Rensselaer 
and  Mary  E.  Walker.  Different  instigators  of  these 
movers  in  the  enterprise  are  named.  One  of  the  num- 
ber, Mrs.  Ball,  as  Miss  Malcolm  became,  relates:  "In 
September,  1816,  two  daughters  of  Mrs.  Divie  Bethune 
were  on  a  tour  westward,  and  stopped  for  a  visit  to  the 
family  of  Jeremiah  Van  Rensselaer,  Esq.  They  warmly 
advocated  the  then  novel  scheme  of  Sunday  school 
teaching,  and  proposed  to  the  daughters  of  their  host 
to  enlist  their  young  friends  with  them  in  attempting 
it  here.  Five  of  us  set  out  in  it  with  unity  of  purpose 
and  determination  o[  will.  L  have  no  recollection  <^  a 
fear  crossing  our  minds  as  to  the  result,"  It  is  the 
more  common  tradition,  and  from  the  lips,  too,  of  oth- 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  723 

ers  who  took  part  in  starting  the  school,  that  it  was  the 
offspring  of  a  revival  in  Troy,  committed  at  birth  to 
the  care  of  converts  in  a  revival  at  Utica,  under  the 
ministry  of  Rev.  Henry  D  wight,  which  added  qne 
hundred  to  his  church.  A  daughter  of  Rev.  Dr.  Coe, 
a  distinguished  minister  in  his  day,  and  pastor  of  the 
church  at  Troy,  came  to  Utica  fresh  from  a  work  of 
grace,  of  which  she  was  a  subject,  in  her  father's  par- 
ish, and  told  her  young  friends,  who  had  just  experi- 
enced the  same  blessing  with  her,  of  the  Sunday  school 
then  recently  established  in  the  city  where  she  lived, 
and  suggested  it  to  them  to  set  up  one  like  it.  That 
lady  is  still  living,  the  wife  of  James  Brown,  Esq., 
senior  member  of  the  firm  of  Brown,  Brothers  &  Co. 
The  idea  was  enough,  and  the  five  already  mentioned 
forthwith  proceeded  to  act  upon  it.  "  To  work  we 
went,"  says  Mrs.  Ball  (then  Miss  Malcolm),  "calling  on 
individuals  for  small  contributions  in  money,  and  on 
the  stores  for  clothing  that  the  children  might  be  de- 
cently clad,  and  this  gave  rise  to  a  Dorcas  Society. 
Then  we  left  no  part  of  the  village  unvisited  in  search 
of  children,  some  of  whom  gladly  promised  to  attend, 
and  others  were  brought  to  consent  to  this  by  some 
consideration  for  it  presented  to  them.  We  numbered, 
I  should  say,  thirty  scholars  on  opening  and  five  teach- 
ers." The  young  misses  got  little  encouragemenl  from 
most  of  their  older  friends.  Their  minister,  M  r.  Dwight, 
was  in  doubl  about  the  scheme,  and  so  was  the  session. 
and  it  therefore  received  no  church  endorsement  Oth- 
ers decidedly  opposed  it  as  desecrating  the  Sabbath. 
lint  the  prerogative  of  the  sex  was  exercised.  The 
young  misses  had  their  way     Says  Mrs,  Ostrom  : 

It  was  a  "motley   group  of  from  t  unit  \  live    Lo  thirty    buys  and 
girls  who  assembled  <>n  that  memorable  Sabbath  morning,  in  that 


72  1  PRESBYTER1AN1SM  IN  THE 

humble  school  room.  The  fortnight  previous  had  been  spent  by 
the  teachers  in  visiting  the  streets  where  the  lowest  dregs  of  so- 
ciety found  their  wretched  homes  With  some  clothing  provided, 
the  children  were  induced  to  promise  attendance.  They  were 
made  comparatively  decent  in  appearance,  although  even  then  The 
school  would  find  its  counterpart  in  the  ragged  mission  schools  of 
our  day.  In  a  class  of  large,  ungoverned  boys,  one  of  their  num- 
ber appended  a  profane  oath  to  a  rude  remark  he  made  to  his  fe- 
male teacher.  The  only  materials  which  had  been  secured  for 
teaching  were  a  few  Testaments  and  catechisms  and  a  set  of  Lan 
casterian  cards,  which  had  been  pasted  upon  large  boards,  so  that 
one  would  answer  to  teach  a  large  class.  In  a  short  time  another 
school  for  colored  children  and  adults,  a  large  proportion  of  the 
latter  class,  was  held  on  Sabbath  evening  in  the  same  place,  and 
taught  by  .the  same  teachers.  In  this  school  a  simple-hearted  disciple 
of  Christ,  over  sixty  years  of  age,  succeeded  in  learning  first  the 
alphabet,  and  finally  to  read  the  New  Testament.  When  the  teach- 
er turned  to  another  scholar,  poor  Judy  would  exclaim,  "Oh,  let 
me  read  a  little  longer,  it  goes  so  good."  The  hours  for  commencing 
the  school,  both  winter  and  summer,  were  eight  o'clock  in  the 
morning,  immediately  after  divine  service  in  the  afternoon  and  in 
the  evening.  In  the  winter,  the  days  being  short,  the  teachers  sel- 
dom went  home  in  the  afternoon,  but  spent  the  intermission  be- 
tween the  exercises  in  the  church  and  the  evening  session  in  the 
school  room. 

Mrs.  Ostrom  remained  a  teacher  in  this  school  with 
one  or  two  brief  intervals,  for  forty-two  years,  and  un- 
til her  death.  September  5,  1859.  It  was  always  diffi- 
cult to  obtain  a  place  in  her  class,  and  to  keep  down 
lifi-  class  to  a  manageable  size  None  thai  beheld  it 
could  ever  forgel  the  beautiful  sight  of  her  scholars 
circled  about  her  in  successive  rows,  seme  on  benches, 
Borne  on  chairs  and  others  on  stools,  literally  Bitting  at 
feet,  and  ranging  in  years  from  the  youth  just 
1 1 lt  into  womanhood,  to  the  matron  of  advanced 
years,  each  with  attentive  car  and  animated  and  often 
il  >oded  eyes.  And  of  the  long  series  who  passed  un- 
der her  instruction,  very   few  were  taught  for  any  con- 


SYS 01)  OF  CENTRAL  SEW  YORK.  j  25 

siderable  space  without  forming  a  saving  acquaintance 

with  Christ.     No  data  exists  for  estimating  the  number 

rCrted  in  her  class-  el     SI        .   3erved  none     She 

1  even  mentioned  the  subject,  and  probably  did 
not  allow  herself  to  think  of  it.  Nothing  more  than  a 
3S  can  be  made,  and  the  counting  of  that  might  be 
by  hundreds.  And  the  Sunday  school  was  but  one  of 
her  departments  of  usefulness.  Doing  good  was  her 
incessant  occupation,  and  she  labored  for  it  wherever  it 
could  be  accomplished  For  the  whole  period  oi 
tematic  tract  distribution,  she  had  a  district,  and  not 
only  made  the  monthly  rounds,  but  visited  often  the 
families  and  persona  who  needed  sympathy  or  help,  or 

3e  spiritual  interest  required  vigilant  attention  :  and 
rare  was  the  evening  when  she   missed  the  monthly 

tings  of  the  visitors,  with  whom  she  counselled, 
and  whom  she  cheered  and  stimulated,  and  whose  as- 
signments of  pails  to  her  she  never  hesitated  to  per- 
form. She  was  virtually  a  deacom  ring  her 
church  as  if  fulfilling  an  office  in  it.  She  was  virtu- 
ally a  volunteer  city  missionary  too,  seeking  out  the 
objects  of  charity,  and  dispensing  gifts  to  them  :  call- 
ing on  the  sick  and  Buffering  and  afflicted,  and  adminis- 
tering consolatioo  and  encouragement  and  relief  to  them  ; 
while  iii  official  positions,  such  for  example  as  a  mai 
of  the  Orphan  Asylum,  she  faithfully  discharged  herre- 
sponsibilities.  There  was  no  summons  oi  bem 
to  which  she  did  not  respond,  and  no  appropriate  and 

3sible  sphere  of  beneficence  in  which  she  did  not 
Berve.     She  had  a  vigorous  and  active  mind,*  an  ar> 

•There  vraaa  ran*  finish  io  in*>  chirographj,  and  it 

was  an  appropriate  setting  for  her  thoughts,    sin-  made  much 

use  of  the  pen,  and  that,  too,  not  only  in  Letter- writing,  where 


726  PRESB  YTERIANISM  IN  TEE 

dent  temperament,  a  kind  and  affectionate  disposition 
and  a  resolute  will.  Her  fine  advantages  at  home,  at 
school  and  in  society,  were  well  improved,  and  her  in- 
telligence and  vivacity  and  conversational  powers  and 
refined  manners  and  tastes,  fitted  her  to  enjoy  and 
charm  and  adorn  the  most  cultivated  circles,  to  which 
by  birth  and  culture  she  belonged.  Though  constitu- 
tionally ardent,  no  person  could  live  more  by  rule  and 
under  the  sway  of  religious  principle.  Her  own  gratifi- 
cation and  her  own  advantage  had  no  influence  with 
her,  and  apparently  did  not  occur  to  her,  and  duty  as- 
(•<  rtained,  nothing  could  keep  her  from  it.  And  thus 
controlled,  she  made  sacrifices,  particularly  of  social 
interests  and  enjoyments,  which  were  martyr-like, 
while  they  were  voluntary.  Though  on  terms  of  inti- 
macy with  the  first  of  the  community,  she  kept  aloof 
from  large  and  gay  companies,  debarred  from  them  by 
their  pastimes  and  extravagance,  and  she  followed  no 
fashion  or  custom,  and  partook  of  no  diversions,  of 
which  her  enlightened  conscience  did  not  fully  approve. 
From  the  beginning  to  the  close  of  her  discipleship, 
she  complied  with  the  terms  :  "  If  any  man  will  come 
after  me,  let  him  deny  himself  and  take  up  his  cross 
daily  and  follow  me,"  and  fulfilled  the  requirement   to 

she  was  preeminent  even  among  her  sex  for  the  grace  she  dis- 
played, but  also  in  more  elaborate  composition.  When  Rev.  Dr. 
Todd  was  preparing  his  book  on  Sunday  schools,  he  sent  a  circu- 
lar to  a  distinguished  jurist  of  Utica  soliciting  information. 
This  gentleman,  though  actively  engaged  iu  Christian  beneficence 
and  long  a  teacher  and  superintendent,  placed  the  circular  in 
Mrs.  Ostrom'a  hands.  The  whole  of  the  part  she  composed  in 
answer  to  the  question,  "Ought  unconverted  persons  to  be  em- 
ployed as  teachers  in  Sunday  schools  V  was  published  in  the  hook, 
as  needing  no  modification,  and  as  the  best  of  many  received  from 
all  parts  of  the  land. 


SYSOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  727 

come  out  from  the  world  and  keep  separate  from  it. 
Combined  with  her  conscientiousness  were  great  genial- 
ity and  affection ateness.     She  was  full  of  lively  and 

•able  conversation,  a  warm  and  abiding  friend,  and 
the  tenderest  of  relatives. 

•■aking,  in  her  last  sickness,  of  Rev.  Dr.  John"-  re- 
mark, in  his  great  agony  before  death,  "  It  is  all  sunny 
the  other  side  of  Jordan.*,  she  said,  "If  not  sunny,  it 
is  peaceful  with  me.  I  feel  that  Jesus  is  my  Saviour, 
and  God  my  reconciled  and  loving  Father,  and  it  is  all 
peace. — but  it  is  dark  between."  She  often  repeated  the 
stanza  beginning — 

When  I  tread  the  verge  of  Jordan. 

Relieved  of  the  acute  pain  she  suffered  at  the  first  of 
her  last  sickness,  she  was  subjected  to  the  tedium 
of  a  long  confinement  and  once  remarked:  ••  -"Weari- 
some days  are  appointed  onto  me."  I  never  appreciated 
that  before, — they  are  appointed  unto  me.  What  a  com- 
forting thought!"  Referring  to  the  remark  she  had 
made  that  the  passage  out  of  life  was  dark,  she  said  to 
her  whom  it  was  addressed  :  "  God  has  helped 

me  to-day.  Yon  understand.  Grod  has  helped  me  to- 
day."    As  long  as  her  strength  could  bear  it.  a  pass 

read  to  her  every  morning  from  "Daily  Food," 
and  on  the27th  of  August  the  jurred  :  "  Thanks 

i  Grod  who  giveth  as  the  victory  through  our  Lord 
-  Christ"  She  asked  to  have  it  read  over  to  her 
again,  and  then  exclaimed,  "Thanks!  thanks!  What 
a  glorious  victory!  What  a  wonderful  Saviour!  Al- 
mighty! Almighty!"  And  in  the  night  she  turned 
to  her  aeice,  and  said:  ■•  Repeal  that  verse  to  me  again. 
— thanks  be  to  God  who  giveth  us  the  victory."  She 
asked  a  physician  who  was  feeling  her  pulse,  M  Bo?  near 


728  PRESBYTER1ANISM  IN  THE 

am  I  to  heaven?'"  and  when,  afterwards,  a  cordial  was 
administered  to  her,  she  said,  "Why  not  let  the  lamp 
go  out?"  and  recovering  from  fainting  somewhat  later, 
she  whispered,  in  tones  of  disappointment,  "Back 
again  where  I  was!"  and  when  more  than  a  single 
word  became  difficult  with  her,  she  would  ejaculate, 
'•Praise!  praise  I1'  and  when  it  was  supposed,  during 
her  last  Sunday  on  earth,  tfrat  she  was  expiring,  she 
said:  "Eejoice  when  I  am  gone.  Sing  aloud!"  and 
this  she  sent  as  her  dying  message  to  her  Sunday  school. 
Near  her  ceasing  to  breathe,  she  exclaimed,  in  broken 
language :  "  Don't  be  afraid — fight  Satan — stand  up  for 
Christ — don't  be  afraid."  Just  before  death,  she  called 
her  attending  friends  to  her  bedside,  and  begged  them 
to  pray  for  certain  impenitent  persons,  and  being  told 
that  they  would  do  so  when  she  passed  away,  she  re 
plied:  "No;  pray  for  them  now."  "Yes,"  she  was 
told,  "and  we  hope  they  will  embrace  the  Saviour." 
•  N«».  no,"  she  said,  "notfope — must,  must —  now, now" 
and  after  a  moment's  pause,  she  added  :  "  They  must  not 
wait  a  day,  they  may  be  gone! — not  an  hour,  they  may 
be  gone  !"  Drawing  large  circles  by  the  motion  of 'her 
finger,  she  shook  her  head,  meaning  that  they  must 
take  no  circuitous  route  to  Christ,  and  drawing  a 
straight  line  she  cried  out,  "Nbw,now/  They  down 
in  tin-  dusl — we  up  here,  and  rising  to  heaven — we 
must  draw  them  up  with  us."  And  referring  to  one 
for  whom  she  was  especially  anxious,  she  said,  "Satan 
must  not  have  him:"  and  turning  her  eyes  to  heaven, 
she  said.  "  My  Saviour  shall  !" 

Never  nave  I    known  Christian  consistency  and  use- 
fulness more  the  aspiration  of  the  soul  and   the  busi- 
of   lih'.  and  never  have    I    known   high   social   sta. 


OD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  f29 

tion  and  wealth  and  culture  more  fully  subordinated  to 
the  claims  of  God  and  the  welfare  of  man. 

Catharine  Huntington  Williams,  daughtei 
Hon.  Henry  Huntington,  an  extensive  merchant  of 
Borne,  and  prominent  in  the  affairs  of  the  State,  second 
wife  of  Col.  William  Williams,  of  Utica,  was  brought 
to  believe  in  the  Saviour  about  the  year  1815,  under 
the  preaching  of  Rev.  Dr.  Spring,  while  on  a  visit  to 
York,  and  publicly  professed  her  faith  on  return- 
ing to  her  home  in  Rome.  With  abundant  means  for 
worldly  enjoyment,  she  devoted  herself  wholly  to  Him 
to  whom  she  had  entrusted  herself.  It  was  Christ  for 
her  to  live.  Especially  did  she  give  herself  up  to  doing 
good,  and  nu  aally  to  the  salvation  of  souls.     Of 

shrinking  modesty,  she  identified  herself  with  the  work 
of  the  gospel,  and  counted  nothing  too  dear  by  which 
she  might   promote  it.      She    stinted  herself    to 
money  for  its  various   enterprises,  and   was  habitually 
employed  in  active  and  strenuous  exertions  to  cany  it 
to  individuals.      A  revival   of  religion   deeply   stirred 
her.     She  caught  the  first  signs  of  it,  and  enlisted  her 
whole  soul  in  it.  and  was  sensitive  t<>  whatever  ail' 
it.     Mr.  Finney's  Autobiography  and  Dr.  Spring  -  1.  I 
and  Letters  bring  this  <>ut.     Speaking  of  the  revival 
that  occurred  under  him  at  Westernville,  Mr.  Finney 
writes:  "Rev.  M   3es  Gillett,  of  R  what 

the  Lord  was  doing,  in  company   with  a  M  - 

II ,  t  »rk  that  was  going  on     The} 

satly  inn  I  could  see  that  the  Spirit  of 

God   was  stirring  them   t<»  their  I   foundations 

days  Mr.  Gillett  and  Miss  11  came  up 

M  38   11  was  a   \<  ry  devout  and  earnest 


730  PRESBYTERIANISM  IN  THE 

■Christian  girl"  The  blanks  in  this  passage  are  to  be 
filled  with  Mrs.  Williams'  maiden  name.  Dr.  Spring 
publishes,  at  full  length,  a  letter  to  him  from  Mrs. 
Williams,  then  Catharine  Huntington.  It  was  written. 
as  Dr.  Spring  remarks,  to  obtain  his  countenance  and 
cooperation  for  Mr.  Finney,  who  was  proposing  a  course 
of  preaching  in  New  York.  But  solicitude  for  souls 
did  not  occasionally  jet  up  in  her.  It  was  a  perennial 
fountain.  There  might  have  been  less  flowing  from  it 
at  certain  times  than  at  others,  but  it  was  always  run- 
ning. And  its  streams  were  poured  out  at  home  and 
abroad.  They  flowed  to  kindred  and  strangers,  to 
townsmen  and  countrymen  and  foreigners.  No  one  was 
more  engaged  for  the  heathen,  and  yet  she  was  as  much 
engaged  for  her  neighborhood  and  her  land,  and  was 
devoted  to  the  particular  congregation  to  which  she 
belonged.  She  did  what  she  could,  and  denied  herself 
to  give  for  religion  in  the  community  and  in  the  coun- 
try and  in  the  world,  but  most  sought  the  spiritual  wel- 
fare of  her  kindred ;  and  language  cannot  express  her 
longings  and  efforts  for  the  conversion  of  her  only 
Living  son;  and  though  when  he  died  in  early  man- 
hood, it  seemed  worse  than  death  to  herself,  his  gain  to 
Christ  was  reckoned  by  her  more  than  a  compensation 
for  the  loss  to  her. 

Let  not  the  impression  be  received  that  Mrs.  Wil- 
liams was  violent  or  obtrusive  by  reason  ^{  the  intensi- 
ty of  her  zeal.  She  was  the  mildest  and  most  diilident 
and  most  feminine  of  women, — not  self -asserting  in  the 
Least, — so  humble  and  gentle  thai  no  one.  merely  meet- 
ing her,  would  suspect  the  tire  and  the  energy  hidden 
in  her.  And  she  never  conceived  who  she  was  nor 
what  she  accomplished,  but  rated  herself  the  least  of 
Baints  and  nol  worthy  to  be  called  a  saint. 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK.  731 

Sophia  Wells  Williams,  first  wife  of  Col.  Wil- 
liam Williams,  of  Utica,  was  kindred  to  her  husband 
in  spirit  and  like  him  in  usefulness.  Acute  in  intel- 
lect, sound  in  judgment,  active  in  temperament,  she 
used  her  all  in  the  cause  of  her  loved  master.  A  de- 
voted wife  and.  mother,  she  neglected  nothing  in  the 
household,  but  at  the  intervals  between  duties  there,, 
she  hurried  out  on  missions  of  charity  and  religion, 
and  fulfilled  them  with  remarkable  vigor  and  expert- 
ness.  Judge  Wm.  J.  Bacon  mentions  some  incidents 
illustrative  of  this  : 

Through  her  influence,  I  was  induced  to  become  a  Sunday 
school  teacher  at  the  early  age  of  eighteen,  while  still  uncon- 
verted, and  there  were  several  young  men  in  the  school  who  oc- 
cupied a  similar  position  to  myself.  It  was  under  a  faithful  ap- 
peal to  this  class  of  persons  by  Mr.  Parmelee  that  I  received  my 
first  serious  impressions.  He  showed,  in  one  of  his  addresses, 
how  necessary  it  was  to  be  taught  of  the  Holy  Spirit — to  have  an 
experimental  knowledge  of  the  truths  of  the  gospel,  in  order 
rightly  to  teach  others.  I  felt  the  force  of  the  argument  and  tho 
incongruity  of  my  position — it  was  that  of  the  blind  leading  the 
blind,  and  there  was  danger  of  both  falling  into  the  ditch.  I 
communicated  my  feelings  to  Mrs.  Williams,  and  my  determina- 
tion to  relinquish  my  class.  Most  earnestly  did  she  plead  with 
me  to  change  my  purpose,  and  urged  nit-  to  obtain  at  once  the 
Deedful  fitness.  Every  one  <>f  those  young  men  to  whom  I  have 
alluded,  as  well  a^  myself,  became  professors  of  religion  while 
teachers  in  the  Sunday  school.  <>n  mj  knees  by  the  Bide  oi  thai 
godly  woman,  agonizing  in  prayer  for  me,  1  gave  my  heart  to 
God  and  found  peace. 

Mr-.  Williams  put  ou1  one  of  ber  children  to  nurse 
in  Deerfield,  across  the  river  from  CJtica,  and  in  her 
frequent  visits  there,  became  deeply  interested  in  th^ 
spiritual  condition  of  the  people.  They  lived  without 
a  sanctuary  or  the  Sabbath.  She  sel  aboul  the  estab 
lishmenl  of  a  Sunday  school,  firsl  securing  the  co 
operation  of  the  distrid  Bchool  teacher  and   three  or 


7: 1 2  PRESBYTKRIAN1SM  IN  THE 

four  young  women,  none  of  whom  were  professing 
Christians,  and  then  thoroughly  visiting  the  neighbor- 
hood for  scholars.     Says  Judge  Bacon  : 

Well  do  I  remember  the  cold  winter  day  when,  in  an  open 
sleigh,  Mrs.  Williams,  accompanied  by  three  young  men,  rode 
to  the  place.  Things  looked  forbidding  and  cheerless.  But  there 
was  no  such  word  as  fail  in  the  vocabulary  of  this  Christian  wo- 
man, when  God's  glory  and  the  good  of  souls  were  at  stake. 
The  school  became  a  success,  and  was  soon  sustained  without  for- 
eign aid. 

A  revival  of  religion  followed,  and  then  a  church 
organization,  and  after  that  a  church  edifice.  R  B. 
Shepard,  cf  Brooklyn,  writes  : 

It  was  late  in  the  fall,  the  snows  of  winter  already  beginning  to 
whiten  the  ground.  Death  had  entered  our  circle,  and  she,  so  good, 
so  kind,  so  gentle,  so  loving  and  so  loved,  was  laid  low  by  his  ruth- 
less hand.  We  had  gathered  to  take  a  last  look  of  all  that  was 
mortal  in  Mrs.  Williams,  and  to  bear  it  to  its  resting  place. 
Among  the  stricken  mourners  were  the  members  of  her  Sunday 
school  class,  sorrowing  most  of  all  that  they  should  see  her  face 
no  more  ;  and  there  was  a  more  lowly,  if  not  a  sadder  band, 
standing  aloof,  and  yet,  as  if  by  stealth,  drawing  nigh  to  show 
their  regard  for  one  who  had  been  a  Dorcas  to  them  while  living. 
They  were  God's  poor,  whom  she  had  clothed  and  fed  and  visited 
in  their  penury  and  sickness  and  affliction.  I  said  to  myself,  as 
I  looked  at  their  sad  faces,  "  Wrhen  1  die,  let  the  grief  of  the  poor 
and  of  liim  that  is  ready  to  perish  be  the  mourning  for  me,  and 
Ie1  me  hear  the  words  of  the  Master  :  '  Inasmuch  as  ye  did  it  unto 
the  least  of  these,  ye  did  it  unto  me.'  " 

Very  imperfed  as  are  these  notices  of  persons,  and 
few  of  our  ministers  and  church  members  as  they 
sketch,  wonder  cannot  but  be  felt  at  the  number  and  em- 
inence of  the  excellent  of  the  earth,  who  have  blessed 
our  denomination  and  the  community  in  this  region  of 
the  country.  We  may  speak  <^  it  without  boasting, 
and  m  a  spirit  of  humble  gratitude  and  praise     Hath 

the   Lord  dealt  so  with  anv  other  people? 


SYSOD  OF  CENTRAL  SEW  YORK. 


733 


LIST   OF    MINISTERS 

Who  have  been  connected  with  Presbyteries  on  the  Field  of  the 

Synod. 


Abbev,  David  A. 
Abbott.  P.  I. 
Abell,  James 
Adair,  Alexander 
Adams,  Carson  W. 
Adams,  C.  S. 
Adams,  Edward  P. 
Adams.  Erastus  H. 
Adams,  Isaac  F. 
Adams,  John  W. 
AdamB,  R<  . 
Addy,  William 
Aiken,  Samuel  C. 
Alden,  Qustavus  K. 
Alexander.  Caleb 
Alexander,  John 
Allen,  Aaron 
Allen.  Edward 
Allen,  Horace  \V. 
Allen,  Jason 
Allison,  Rob't  ('. 
Ambler,  James  B. 
Andrews  Edward 
Avery,  Cha 
Awry,  Royal  A. 
Avery,  John  II. 
Aver,  Oliver 


Babbitt,  J  no  M. 
Bachman,  Rob't  L. 
Bacon,  John  S. 
Bacon,  s   P. 
Bacon,  Wm. 
Bailey,  Jeremiah 
Baker,  Alvin 
Baker,  Geo.  I>. 
Baker,  J.  l». 
Baldwin,  Dwight 
Baldwin,  Johnson 

Baldwin,  Truman 

Baldwin,  Wm. 


Ball,  E.  T. 
Ballis,  Chas. 
Banks,  Daniel 
Banks,  Daniel  C. 
Barber,  Philander 
Barber.  Jno. 
Barnard.  Lucius  C. 
Barnes,  Brastn 
Barnes,  Edwin 
Barnes,  Stephen  V. 
Barr,  Absolom  K. 
Barrows,  Bleaa 
Barteau,  Sidney  H. 
Bartholomew,  Orlo 
Bartlett.  John 
Barton.  John 

tt,  Archibald 
Bates,  Eliot 
Bates,  Talcot 
Bates,  Wm.  H. 
Bates,  Wm. 
Bayless,  Geo. 
Beach,  Edwards  A. 
Beach.  E    C. 

Beardsley,  Evans 
Albert  <L 
Beebe,  ("has.  H. 
Beebe,  Clarence  II. 
Beecher,  John  W. 
Bell,  Samuel  B. 
Benedict,  Amzi 
Benedict,'  Edwin 
Beecham,  J    M. 
;i   Henry 

Benton,  Orland 
Bickford,  Edward  <;. 

>w,  Albert 
Bigelow,  Dana  SV. 

a  r,  David 
Biree,  Caleb 
Bla&eman,  Phi 
Blakeslee,  J  ami 


Bliss,  Isaac 
Blodgett,  G.  If. 
Blodgett,  Luther  P. 
Boardman  George  X. 
Boardman,  Geo.  S, 
Bogue,  H.  P. 
Bogue,  P.  V. 
Bonney,  Elijah  H. 
Bosworth,  Nathan 
Boutillier,  Geo.  Le 
Bovce,  Wm.  C. 
Boyd,  Hugh  M. 
Boyle,  James 
Boynton,  Henry 
Bowles.  Charles 
Bruce,  S.  W. 
Bradford,  Wm.  H. 
Bradford,  Wm.  J. 
Bradley,  Joel 
Bradnock,  J.  II. 
Brainard,  Israel 
Brayton,  Isaac 
Brewster,  E 
Brewster,  Lor': 
Brisbin,  L-. 
Bronson,  Asahel 
Bronson,  Edwin 
Bronson,  Oliver 
Brown.  E.  W. 
Brown.   Q< 
Brown.  John 
Brown.  John  II 
Brown,  Bamuel 
Brown,  Samuel  R. 

I  !l,  T.  J. 

Brundage,  [sra<  1 

Bruin.  Ban. 
Buck,  Elijah 
Buck,  Josiah  J. 
Burbank,  '  'aleb 
Bnrb.  . 

Burchard,  ESli 
Burchard,  Jedediah 


734 


PRESBTTERIANISM  IN  THE 


Burge,  Caleb 
Burnap,  Bliss 
Burnop  B. 
Burr,  Absolom  K. 
Burritt,  Stephen  W. 
Burt,  Seth 
Burtis,  Arthur 
Bushnell,  Calvin 
Bush,  Samuel  W. 
Butler,  Chas.  F. 
Butts.  Dan'l  B. 


Caldwell,  Abel 
Callahan,  Henry 
Camp,  Phineas 
Campbell,  Alfred  E. 
Campbell,  Benj.  H. 
Campbell,  John 
Campbell,  Nathan 
Campbell,  S.  M. 
Canfield,  J.  A. 
Can  field,  Sherman  B. 
Cannon,  Fred.  E. 
Cargan,  Wm. 
Carle,  John  H. 
Carlisle,  H. 
Carnahan,  James 
Caruth,  J.  H. 
Cass,  Moses 
Castleton,  Thos. 
Chadwick,  Jabez 
Chafie,  Solomon 
Chapin,  Augustus  L. 
Chapman,  Chas. 
Chapman,  E.  F. 
Chapman,  E.  J. 
Chapman,  Ezekiel 
Chapman,  Henry 
Chapman.  Jedediah 
Chase,  Moses 
Chassell,  David 
Child,  Elias 
Chittenden,  Wm. 
Chrieler,  Jeremiah  M 
(  luirchill,  Jesse 
Chirk,  Abner  P. 
Clark,  Clinton 
Clark,  Caleb 
Clark  Daniel  A. 
Clark,  Daniel 


Clark,  David 
Clark,  Gardner  K. 
Clark,  Lemuel 
Clark,  Luther 
Clark,  Sam'l  F. 
Clark,  Tertius  S. 
Clark,  Wm. 
Clary,  Dexter 
Clayton,  Joshua  A. 
Clelland,  James 
Cleveland,  Rich'd  F. 
Clinton,  Isaac 
Clute,  N.  Marcellus 
Cobb,  Nehemiah 
Cobb,  Solon 
Cochrane,  Andrew 
Coe,  Noah 
Coit,  Chas.  P. 
Collins,  Levi 
Collins,  W.  W. 
Conant,  Rob't  S. 
Condict,  Walter 
Condit,  Rob't  W. 
Cone,  R.  J. 
Conkey,  Alex'r 
Conkling,  Luther 
Coukling,  N.  J. 
Conkling,  Oliver  P. 
Cook,  E.  P. 
Cooley,  Eli  F. 
Cooper,  Wm.  H. 
Cope,  Edward 
Corless,  Albert  H. 
Cornell,  Howard 
Corning,  Alex.  B. 
Corning,  Rich'd  S. 
Cornwell,  J.  D. 
Cowan,  Alex.  M. 
Cozzens,  Sam'l  W. 
Crandall,  Abel  L. 
Crane,  Abijah 
Crawford  John 
Crocker,  Amos 
Curtis,  E. 
Curtis,  Wm.  S. 
Cushman,  Marcus  K. 
Cnshman,  Ralph 


Dady,  Lemuel 
Darrow,  Nathan  W. 


Davenport,  John 
Davis,  Edwin  R. 
Davis,  Henry 
Davis,  Rich'd  M. 
Day,  Alvah 
Day,  Warren 
Delevan,  Geo.  E. 
Delong,  Chas.  H. 
Deniorest  Jno.  K. 
Demming,  Rufus  K. 
Dewing,  Chas.  S. 
Dewitt,  Kirke 
Diament,  Jeremiah  H. 
Dibble,  Sheldon 
Dickson,  Hugh  S. 
Dixon,  David  R. 
Doane,  Julius 
Dodd,  Bethuel 
Dodd,  Henry  M. 
Dodge,  Jno.  K. 
Donaldson,  Asa 
Doolittle,  Justus 
Doubleday,  Wm.  S. 
Douglas,  James 
Down,  Valentine 
Downs,  Cyrus 
Dox,  H.  L. 
Duncan,  Thos.  W. 
Dunham,  Moses  E. 
Dunham,  H.  R. 
Dunlop,  Samuel 
Dunn,  R.  C. 
Dutton,  Matthew 
Dutton,  Nathaniel 
Dwight,  Benj.  W. 
Dwight,  Henry 
Dyer,  Hiram 


Eastman,  Henry  E. 
Eastmau,  John 
Edgar,  Robert, 
Edwards,  Joseph 
Eels,  James 
Eggleston,  Ambrose 
Elliot,  Geo.  W. 
Ellis,  Stephen 
Emens,  Peter  W. 
Erdman,  Albert 
Erdman,  Wm.  J. 
Evans,  Evan 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK. 


735 


Evans,  Wm. 
Everest,  G.  T. 
Everett,  R.  M. 


Fahnestock,  Alfred  H, 
Faircliild,  Edward 
Fancher,  E.  B. 
Farns worth, Marsh.  L, 
Fenn,  Stephen 
Fessenden,  Thos.  K. 
Fillmore,  I.  0. 
Finney,  Chas.  G. 
Fish,  John  B. 
Fish,  Peter 
Fisher,  Edward  W. 
Fisher,  James  B. 
Fisher,  Sam'l  W. 
Fisher,  William 
Flagler,  Isaac 
Foltz,  Benjamin 
Foot,  Geo. 
Foot..  J.  J. 
Foote,  Lucius 
Force,  Chas.  H. 
Ford,  Edwards 
Ford,  Henry 
Ford,  Marcus 
Fowler,  John  W. 
Fowler,  Phil'n  H. 
Francisco,  Chauncey 
Franklin,  Wm.  S. 
Frazer,  Horace 
Frazer,  William 
Freeman,  George 
Frost,  John 
Fullerton,  A.  H. 
Furbish,  Ed.  B. 

G 

Gale  Geo.  W. 
Gamage,  Smith  P. 
Gardner,  E    P. 
Gardner.  James 
Garvin,  Rev    .Mr. 
Gasler,  Say  res 
Gaston.  Albert  H. 
Gaylord,  Munson  ( '. 
Gerry,  Walter  11. 
Gibbs,  Daniel 
Gilbert,  Hiram  \V. 


Gillett,  Moses 
Gillett,  N. 
Gillette,  C. 
Gilmer,  David  C. 
Gleason,  Anson 
Goertner,  Nicholas  W. 
Goodale,  Wm. 
Goodman,  S.  S. 
Goodrich, Chauncey  E. 
Goodrich,  Wm.  H. 
Gould,  Nahum 
Graves,  Frederick  W. 
Graves,  Joshua  B. 
Graves,  Nathaniel  D. 
Gray,  Albert  A. 
Gray,  John 
Green,  Beriah 
Greenods,  Wm. 
Gregory,  Caspar  R. 
Gregory,  David  D. 
Gregory,  T.  B. 
Gridley,  A.  Delos 
Grid  ley,  John 
Gridley,  Wayne 
Griffin,  N.  H. 
Griffin,  Philander 
Griffith.  Sam'l  B. 
Griswold,  Levi 
Grummon,  Dan'l  L. 
Gulliver,  John  P. 

H 

Halbert,  Wm.  R. 
Hall,  Geo. 
Hall,  Joshua  B. 
Hall,  John  G. 
Hall,  Lemuel 
Hall,  Sam'l  H. 
llalsey,  C.  P. 
Hamilton,  Thos.  A. 
Hamilton,  Gavin  1*. 

Hamner,  T,  Garland 
Hand,  Rich'd  C. 
Hanna,  John  S. 
Harmon,  Silas  S. 
Harrington,  Moody  F 
Harrington,  Moody 

Harris,   Hiram 

Harrison,  Man ln-u 

liaison,  .John  1'. 

Hart,  Ichabod  A. 


Hastings,  Parson  C. 
Hastings,  Seth  P.  M. 
Hastings,  Eurotas  P. 
Haven,  Lorin  C. 
Hawley,  Chester  W. 
Hay,  Philip  C. 
Haynes,  Selden 
Hazen,  Harvey  C. 
Headley,  Isaac 
Headley,  P.  C. 
Hearts,  J.  A. 
Hebard,  Frederick 
Heminvvay,J.  Gaylord 
Hempstead,  Thomas 
Herrick,  Amasa 
Herrick,  Henry 
Hibbard,  F. 
Hickok,  Henry 
Higby,  Jedothan 
Hill,  Hiram 
Hill,  Oliver 
Hill,  P.  C. 
Hill,  M.  L.  P. 
Hilton,  J.  V. 
Holbrook,  David  A. 
Hollister,  Amos  D. 
Holmes,  Sylvester 
Hopkins,  A.  G. 
Hopkins,  D.  C. 
Horton,  Geo.  D. 
Hotchkin,  B.  B. 
Howe,  Jas.  C. 
Howe,  Samuel 
Howe,  Samuel  Storrs 
Howell,  Lewis  D. 

IloVt,     J.   J. 

Hovt,  J  no.  B. 
IloVt,  Wm.  M. 
Hough,  J.J. 
Hough,  J.  T. 
Hubbard,  Wm.  G. 

Hubbard,  J  no.  N. 

11  udson,  ( '\  ma 
Iluiin.  Geo.  H. 
Humphrey,  John 
Hunn,  David  S. 
Hunn,  K  W. 
Huntington,  A. 
Hurlburl ,  James 

Kurd,  Reuben 

llntchins,  Charles  1. 


736 

Hyde,  Orin 
Hyde,  Geo.  C. 


Ingalls,  Moses 
Ingersol,  J.  F. 
Irwin,  Jno.  W. 
Ivison,  Jno. 


Jackson,  Fred  I. 
Janes,  Francis 
Janes,  Justus  L. 
Jennings,  Chaa  P. 
Jerome,  Charles 
Jervis,  Timothy  B. 
Jewell,  Fred.  S. 
Jewell,  Joel  S. 
Jewell,  Moses 
Johnson,  Hiram  S. 
Johnson,  Jos  R. 
Johnson,  Joshua 
Johnson,  Leonard 
Johnston,  Andrew 
Johnston,  Charles 
Joice,  James 
Jones,  Charles 
Jones,  John  D. 
Jones,  Henry 
Jones,  John  S. 
Jones,  Joseph 
Judson,  Aaron 

K 

Kaercher,  Geo.  I. 
Keeler,  S.  X. 
Keep,  Jno. 
Kdlogg,  Ephraim  W 
Kellogg,  Erastua  M. 
Kellogg,  Hiram 
Kellogg,  Lewis 
Keiser,  J.  R. 
Kendall,  David 
Kendall,  Henry 
Kendall,  Jno.  F. 
Kendall,  J.  Ludlow 
Kenner,  Thos. 
Kent,  Bloomer 
Kerr,  George 
Ketchum,  II. 
K<  yea,  R.  G. 
Kimball,  David 


PRESBYTEMANISM  IN  THE 


Kimball,  Reuel, 
King,  Geo.  J. 
Kingbley,  D.  H. 

Kinne,  Peleg  R. 
Kirk,  Richard  R. 
Kirtland,  Orlando  M. 
Kitchell,  Jonathan 
Knight,  Joshua 
Knight,  Richard 
Knox,  Wm.  E. 


Lacey,  Edward  S. 
Ladd.  Beufort 
Lamb,  James 
Lane,  Benj   P. 
Lane,  Joshua 
Lands,  Clement 
Lansing,  Dirck  C. 
Larcom,  Thomas 
Lathrop,  Eleazer 
Lathrop,  A.  C. 
Lawton,  Jno.  W. 
Lay  cock,  S. 
Leavitt,  Oliver 
Leavenworth,  Eben'r 
Leggett,  O.  M. 
Lee,  C.  J. 
Lee,  Hiram  W. 
Leighton,  Nathaniel 
Leonard,  Jouah 
Leonard,  Sam.  \V. 
Lewis,  Clement 
Lewis,  Isaac 
Lewis,  Jno.  N. 
Lewis,  John  P. 
Life,  Geo.  M. 
Lillie,  Alvah 
Lilly,  Foster 
Little,  Charles 
Lindsley,  Jno. 
Livingston.  Chaa   -M. 
Lockwood,  Benj. 
Lock  wood,  Lewis  R. 
Lockwood,  V.  LeRoy 
Lockwood,  Peter 
Lockwood,  Wm.  H. 
Lockhead,  Wm. 
Long.  Jno   E. 
Long,  Walter  R. 
Lord,  Edward 


Lord,  John 
Lord,  Jos.  S. 
Loss,  Lewis  H. 
Lowe,  Jno.  G. 
Luce,  Eleazur 
Ludlow,  Henry  G. 
Lumbard,  Horatio  J. 
Lumner,  Nathaniel 
Lusk,  Wm. 
Lyle,  Albert  F. 
Lyle,  John 
Lyman,  Huntington 
Lyman,  Orange 
Lyn,  Luke 

Macauley,  James 
Mackie,  Charles 
Mackie,  Geo.  W. 
Macumber,  Wm.  M. 
Mandell.  Albert 
Mandeville,  Sumner 
Manley,  Elizur  X. 
Man  ley.  Ira 
Manning,  Samuel 
Marsh,  Davis 
Marsh,  Edwards 
Marshall,  James 
Martin,  Job  K. 
Marvin,  Chas.  S. 
Marvin,  Jno.  L. 
Mason,  Elihu 
Malthie,  E.  D. 
Mayo,  Warren 
McClunly,  James 
McCormick,  Rob't  W. 
McDougall,  Alexander 
McGregor,  Jno.  M. 
McGiffert,  Jos.  X. 
McGiffert,  Wrm.  H. 
McGilJ,  A. 
McHarg.  Chas.  J. 
McHarg,  Win.  X. 
Mcllvaine,  Joshua  H. 
McKinney,  Sabine  M. 
McKinney,  Silas 
McLawry,  John  F. 
McLeish,  John 
McMasters,  Ariel 
McMillan,  G.  B. 
McNeil,  Benj.  F. 
McNitt,  Jas. 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK. 


737 


McVey,  John 
Mears,  Jno.  W. 
Merrill,  Minor 
Merrill,  Sam'l  L. 
Meserean,  Lawrence 
Millar,  Geo.  L. 
Millard,  Henry  N. 
Millard,  Nelson 
Miller,  Alpha 
Miller,  Jas.  H. 
Miller,  L.  Merrill 
Mills,  Abram 
Mills,  Cyrus  T. 
Mills,  Samuel  T. 
Miner,  Jesse 
Mitchell,  Jacob  D. 
Monroe,  James 
Montague,  Philetas 
Montgomery,  Andrew 
Monteitb,  John 
Moore,  Sol.  H. 
Moore,  N.  8. 
Morgan,  Henry  H. 
Morgan,  Homer  B. 
Morris,  H.  W. 
Morse,  D.  S. 
Morse,  James  C. 
Morse,  Jonathan  B. 
Morss,  Austin  (i. 
Morton,  James 
Murdock,  James 
Myers,  Joseph 
Myrick,  Luther 

N 
Nash,  Daniel 
Nash,  J.  A. 
Neill,  William 
Nellis,  Jno.  V.  ('. 
Nelson,  Bam'l  W. 
Newell,  Daniel 
Newell,   Win.  W 
Nichols,  Erastus  X. 
Nichols,  James 

Nightingale,  Jas.  ( '. 
North,  Alfred 
North,  Linius 

Northrop,  [srae]  II. 
Norton,  Herman 
Nott,  Eliphalet 


Ogden,  David  L. 
Olds,  Ira  M. 
Oliver,  Andrew 
Ordway,  Moses 
Orton,  Azariah  J. 
Orton,  Sam'l  C. 
Osborn,  Jeremiah 
Ostrom,  Jas.  J. 
Otis,  Ashbel 

P 

Paddock,  Jos.  W. 
Palmer,  Wm.  W. 
Parker,  Sam'l 
Parmelee,  Alvan 
Parmlee,  Moses 
Parmelee,  W.  B. 
Parsons,  Eben  B. 
Pattengill,  H. 
Pattengill,  J.  S. 
Payson,  Elliott  II. 
Peck,  John 
Penny,  Joseph 
Pepper,  John  P. 
Perkins,  E. 
Perry,  Cyrus  M. 
Perry,  David  J. 
Petrie,  Jeremiah 
Pettibone,  Ira 
Pettibone,  Roswell 
Phelps,  Ceo.  0. 
Phillips,  Andrew 
Phillips,  Jas.  W. 
Pickarns,  Jos.  1). 
Piatt,  Adam  \\  . 
Piatt,  Dennis 
Plumb,  Elijah  W. 
Pomeroy,  Medad 
Pomeroy,  Sam'l  S. 
Pomeroy,  Thaddeus 
Pond,  Bilious 
Porter,  Ambrose 
Porter,  <  'has.  S. 
Porter,  J   Jermain 
Porter,  Beth  I. 
Post ,  Jacob 
Powell,  A.  V.  11. 

Powell,  ('     S. 

Powell,  Lewellen  \i. 

Powell,    Martin 


Powers,  Wm.  R. 
Pratt,  Daniel 
Pratt,  Elizur  H. 
Pratt,  Ethan 
Pratt,  Rufus 
Pratt,  Sam'l  W. 
Prentiss,  John  H. 
Preston,  J.  B. 
Preston,  Marcus  N. 
Priest,  J.  A. 
Pritchett,  Edward  C 
Putnam,  Aaron 
Putnam,  Franklin 
Putnam,  William 


Quick 


Ah  ram  J. 
K 


Rand,  Asa 
Randel,  Win. 
Rankin,  Dan'l  M. 
Ransom,  Elnathan 
Ray,  Edward  ('. 
Raymond,  Albert  H. 
Raymond,  S.  W. 
Redfield,   Henry  S. 
Redfield,  T. 
Reddington,  J.  H. 

Reeve,  T.  S. 

Reid  John 
Reid,  Lewis  R. 
Rendall,  1.  N. 
Rex  ford,  Lyman  S. 

Rice,    J.   II." 

Rice,  w m   W. 
Richards,  Leonard  E2 
Richards,  Win.  R. 
Richards,  Willard 
Harmon 
3,  Zenas 
Riley,  Benj.  (*. 
Ripley,  David  B. 
Robb,  Edwin  l\ 
Robert8,  Evans 

Robertson,  Jan. 
Robertson,  Sam'l 
Robinson,  -las.  II. 
Robinson,  Phin< 
Robinson,  Wm   M 
Robinson,  Win.  N. 


738 


PRESBYTERIAN1SM  IN  THE 


Robinson,  Ralph 
Robinson,  S.  N. 
Rogers,  James 
Roof,  Garret  L. 
Root,  Jas.  S. 
Roosa,  Egbert 
Rosenkrans,  Joseph 
Rosseel,  Jas.  A. 
Rosseter,  Edward  W. 
Rowland,  Jonathan  M. 
Rovel,  Lorain 
Russell,  James 


Salisbury,  William 
Salmon,  Thomas 
Sanborn,  Pliny  F. 
San  ford,  James 
Savage,  Amos 
Savage,  Jno.  A. 
Sawtelle,  Wm.  H. 
Sawyer,  Leicester  A. 
Schofield,  Abishai 
Scott,  Robert 
Scott,  Samuel 
Scovil,  Dwight 
Scovil   Ezra 
Scovil,  John  F. 
Searle,  Moses  C. 
Searles,  Richard 
Seeley,  Amos  N. 
Seeley,  Frank  H-. 
Seeley,  Joab 
Sessions,  John 
Seward,  Fred.  D. 
Seymour,  O.  H. 
Shaffer,  Samuel 
Shaw,  Augustus  C. 
Shaw,  A.  M. 
Shaw,  John  B. 
Sheppard,  Fayette 
Sheppard,  John 
Sheppard,  L.  M. 
Shearer,  John 
Sherwood,  E.  B. 
Slocum,  John  .1. 
Smith,  Alexander 
Smith,  Azariah 
Smith,  ( larloa 
Smith,  David  U. 
Smith,  Kli/.ur  <i. 


Smith,  Ethan 
Smith,  Giles  M. 
Smith,  Harvey 
Smith,  Henry 
Smith,  Ira 
Smith,  J.  C. 
Smith,  John 
Smith,  Marcus 
Smith,  Nath'l  S. 
Smith,  Stephen  S. 
Snashall,  A. 
Snowden,  Sam'l  F. 
Snyder,  Peter 
Southworth,  James 
Southworth.Tertius  D 
Spaulding,  Geo. 
Spear,  David 
Spees,  Shubael  G. 
Spencer,  Eliphalet  M. 
Spencer.  E.  W. 
Spencer,  F.  A 
Spencer,  Theodore 
Spencer,  Wm,  H. 
Spicer,  Jabez 
Sprague,  Isaac  N. 
Sprecher,  Sam'l  P. 
St.  Croix,  Peter  L.  De 
Stebbins,  Henry  H. 
Stevens,  Jedediah  D. 
Stevens,  Solomon 
Stickney,  Washington 
St.  John,  John  R. 
Stockton,  Benj.  B. 
Stoddard,  Elijah  W. 
Stow,  Timothy 
Stow,  Wm.  B. 
Storrs,  S.  P. 
Stratton,  Jas.  P. 
Street,  Thomas 
Strong,  A.  K. 
Strong,  S. 
Strong,  Wm.  L. 
Stuart,  Charles 
Stryker,  Isaac  P. 
Stryker,  Peter 
Sullivan,  Lot  B. 
Sumner,  Nathaniel 
Sunderland,  Byron 
Sweezy,  Samuel 
Swift," (J    Y. 
Swinnerton,  H.  U. 


Tappan,  Chas.  D.  W. 
Taylor,  Adolphus 
Taylor,  Hutchins 
Taylor,  James 
Taylor,  Justin  B. 
Taylor,  William 
Terry,  Parshall 
Thatcher,  C.  Otis 
Thatcher,  Moses 
Thatcher,  Washingt'n 
Thomas,  Wm.  H. 
Thompson,  Geo.  W. 
Thurber,  Edward  G. 
Todd,  Geo.  N. 
Tompkins,  John 
Torry,  David 
Towne,  Abner 
Townsend,  Eben'r  G. 
Townsend,  Thomas  R. 
Tracy,  Solomon  I. 
Traver,  Allen 
Treadwell,  C.  W. 
Trippe,  Morton  F. 
Truair,  John 
Tully,  David 
Tuttle,  Amos  C. 
Tuttle,  Ziba 
Twombley,  A.  S. 
Tyler,  Daniel  C. 
Tyler,  G.  P. 

U 

Upson,  Anson  J. 


Van  Camp,  Samuel  C. 
Van  Deurs,  Geo. 
Vandewater,  Michael 
Van  Houghton,  Henry 
VanValkenberg,  Danl 
Vermilye,  Rob't  G. 
Vincent, Christopher  S 
Vorhis,  Stephen 

W 

Wadsworth,  Charles 
Waite,  Calvin 
Wakeman,  Joel 
Wakeman,  Mont'y  M. 
Waldo,  Lyman  B. 
Wales,  E.  Vine 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK. 


73£ 


Walker,  Elnathan 
Walker,  Timothy  D. 
Walker,  T. 
Wallace,  C.  C. 
Wallis,  Hugh 
Walton.  Azariah 
Ward,  Jno.  W. 
Ward,  Josiah  J. 
Warren,  Francis  V. 
Warren,  Waters 
Warrington,  Fordyce 
Waterbury,  Calvin 
Waterbury,  Daniel 
Waters,  John 
Waugh,  John 
Waugh,  J.  Leonard 
Weed,  Thos.  A. 
Weeks,  David  J. 
Weeks,  Lewis  R. 
Weeks,  Wm.  R. 
Welch,  Ransom  B. 
Wells,  Ashbel 
Wells,  Elijah  D. 
Wells,  Noah 
Welton,  Alonzo 


West,  Royal 
Wetmore,  Oliver 
Whaley,  Samuel 
Whelpley.  W.  W. 
White,  Alfred 
White,  Charles 
White,  S.  J. 
Whiting,  Russell 
Whitfield,  Jno.  W. 
Whitney,  Elijah 
Whittlesey,  Chas.  M. 
Whittlesey,  Jno.  B. 
Wickham,  Jos  D. 
Wilcox,  Lemuel 
Wilcox,  Lummund 
Wilcox, Sam'l  Corylus 
Wilcox,  Wm  J. 
Williams,  B.  Alex. 
Williams,  Comfort 
Williams,  Dillow 
Williams,  Edwin  E. 
Williams.  Lewis 
Williams,  Philan'r  R. 
Williams,  Solomon 
Williams,  Wm. 


Williams,  Wm.  F. 
Willis,  Erasmus  D. 
Williston,  Seth 
Willoughby,  Benj.  F. 
Wilson,  Geo.  S. 
Wilson,  Jas.  B. 
Wilson,  P.  Q. 
Wood,  Enos 
Wood,  Morgan  L. 
Wood,  S.  M. 
Wooley,  Wm.  M. 
Woodruff,  Jeremiah 
Woodruff.  Hezek'h  X. 
Worden,  J.  A. 
Worthington,  Albert 
Wright,  Crispus 
Wright,  Samuel 
Wynkoop,  Jefferson 

Y 

Yale,  Amos  S. 
Yale,  Calvin 
Young,  A.  T. 
Young,  J.  R. 


'40 


PRESB  YTERIANISM  IN  THE 


LIST  OF  CHURCHES 

That  have  been  connected   with  Presbyteries  on  the  field  of  the 
Synod,  of  Central  New  York. 


A 

Adams, 

Afton, 

Alder  Creek, 

Albion, 

Alexander, 

Amboy, 

Annsville, 

Antwerp, 

Apalachin, 

Augusta, 

B 

Bainbridge, 

Baldwinsville, 

Barker, 

Bellville, 

Berkhempstead, 

Berkshire, 

Berkshire,  (North) 

Binghamton,  (1st.) 

Binghanton,  (West) 

Binghamton,  (North) 

Black  Cross, 

Boonville, 

Booth  or  Grant, 

Borodino, 

Bowman's  Creek, 

Brantingham, 

Brasher  Falls, 

Bridgewater, 

Brownville, 

Buel, 

Butternuts, 

c 

( lamden  Congregatio'l 
Presbyterian, 
Camillus,  1st.  2d.  3d. 
I  lanaderaga, 
» Sandor, 
<  lanton, 


('ape  Vincent, 

Carthage, 

Cassville, 

Castle  Creek, 

Cazenovia, 

Centre  Lisle, 

Chaumont, 

Cherry  Valley, 

Chittenango, 

Cicero, 

Cincinnatus, 

Clavville. 

Cleveland, 

Clinton, 

Colchester, 

Colesville, 

Collamerf 

Columbia, 

Conklin, 

Constantia, 

Cooperstown, 

Cortlandville, 

Coventry,  1st, 
2d, 
3d, 

D 

Danube, 
Deerfield, 
DeKalb, 
Delhi,  1st, 
"      2d, 
Delphi, 
Delta, 

Denmark,  1st, 
2d, 
Depau, 
Deposit, 
DeKuyter, 
Devereux, 

Dexter. 
Durhamville, 


East  Guilford, 
"     Linklaen, 
"     Maine, 
•■     Owego, 
"     Pharsalia, 
"     Syracuse, 

Eaton, 

Edwards, 

Elbridge, 

Ellisburgh, 

Ellsworth, 

Exeter, 

F 

Fabius, 

Fairfield, 

Fayetteville, 

Floyd, 

Florence, 

Fly  Creek, 

Forest  Port, 

Frankfort, 

Franklin, 

Freetown, 

Fulton, 

G 

German, 

Gilbertsville, 

Gouverneur, 

Gran  by, 

Grant,  or  Booth, 

Greer, 

Guilford, 


Hamden, 
Hamilton  College 
Hammond, 
Hancock, 


SYNOD  OF  CENTIiAL  NEW  YORK. 


'41 


Hannibal  Cong'1, 

Manlius  Square, 

Orleans, 

2d 

Marathon, 

Orrville, 

Harford, 

Marcellus, 

Orwell, 

Harmony, 

Martinsburgh, 

Osceola, 

Harpersfield, 

Masonville, 

Oswegatchie  2d, 

Harpersville, 

Massena, 

Oswego, 

Harrison, 

Matthew's    Mills, 

"       2d, 

Harrison  or  Marathon 

,  Maryland, 

Grace, 

Hart  wick, 

Maxwell, 

Oswego  Falls, 

Hastings, 

McDonough, 

Otego, 

Helena, 

Meredith, 

Otisco, 

Herkimer, 

Mexico, 

Otselie, 

Heuvelton, 

Middlefield, 

Owe^o, 

Hobart, 

Middletown, 

Oxbow, 

Holland  Patent, 

Mil  ford  1st. 

Oxford, 

Homer, 

2d, 

Hopkinton, 

Morrisville, 

P 

I 
Ilion, 

Mount  Lisbon, 

Paris, 

Mount  Upton, 

Parishville, 
Peterboro, 

J 

N 

Pharsalie, 

Jamesville, 

Nelson, 

Phenix, 

Newark  Valley, 

Pitcher, 

K 

New  Berlin, 

Plessis, 

Kingston, 

New  Hartford, 

Plymouth, 
Pompey  1st, 

Knoxboro, 

New  Haven, 

L 

New  Lisbon, 

Pompey  2d, 

Lafayette, 

Newport, 

"      3d, 

Laurens, 

New  Stockbridge, 

Pompey  Centre, 

Lee, 

New  York  Mills, 

Potsdam, 

Lenox,  Cong'l, 
2d, 

Nichols, 
Nineveh, 

Preble  Corners, 
Preble, 

Le  Ray, 
Leyden, 
Linklaen, 

North  Bay, 

Preston, 

North  Gage, 
North  Guilford, 

II 

Lisbon, 

Norway, 

Redfield, 

Lisle 

Norwich  Corners, 

Remaen, 

Litchfield, 

O 

Ogdensburgh,    or 
wegatchie  1st, 

Richfield, 

Little  Falls, 
Liverpool, 
Lowvillle,  1st, 

Richford, 
Oa-  EUdgefield, 
Ridgeville, 

2d, 

Ohio, 

Rockdale, 

Lyon's  Falls, 
Lysander,  1st, 
2d, 

Olean, 
Oneida, 
Oneida  ( laatle, 

Rome, 
Rome  3d, 
Roaaie, 

Oneida  Depot, 

Ruaaia, 

IW 

Oneida  Lake, 

Rutland, 

Magrawville, 

Oneida  Vall.v, 

Maine,  Hast, 

Oneonta, 

S 

Manlius  1st, 

Onondaga, 

Sacketta  Harbor, 

Manlius    3d, 

Oriakany, 

Saliabury, 

742 


PRESBTTERIANISM  IN  THE 


Sandy  Creek, 

Sanger  field, 

Sauquoit, 

Scott, 

Shaverstown, 

Sherburne, 

Sidney  Plains, 

Skenandoah, 

Skaneateles, 

Smithfield, 

Sniithville, 

Smyrna, 

Solon, 

South  Bainbridge, 

South  Onondaga, 

South  Trenton, 

Spencer, 

Springfield, 

Stamford, 

Stockholm, 

Stryker. 

Sullivan, 

Summer  Hill, 

Syracuse  1st  Ward, 
1st, 
Park, 
2d, 
4th,  • 
Central. 


Taberg, 
Theresa, 


Tioga, 

Tompkins  1st, 
2d, 
Trenton, 
Trenton,  South, 
Triangle, 

Trinitarian.-Manlius, 
Truxton, 
Turin. 


u 


Unadilla 

Union, 

Utica 


1st, 

Cong'l, 

2d,  or  Bleecker 

Street, 
3d,  or  Fayette 

Street, 
Bethany, 
Elizabeth  St. 
Westminster, 
West  Utica. 


Van  Buren, 
Vernon, 
Vernon  Center, 
Verona  1st, 

"       2d, 
Vienna  1st, 

"       2d, 


Virgil  1st, 
"      2d, 
Volney,  1st, 
2d. 


W 

Waddington, 
Walter, 
Wampsville, 
Warren, 
Watertown  1st, 

"     2d,  or  Stone 
Street, 
Waterville, 
Waverly, 
West  Brunswick, 
Western  ville, 
West  Camden, 
Westford, 
West  Hartwick, 
West  Leyden, 
West  Monroe, 
Westmoreland, 
West  Newark, 
West  Turin, 
Whitesboro, 
Whitney's  Point, 
Willet, 

Williamstown. 
Wilna, 
Windsor, 
Worcester. 


The  list  of  churches  can  only  approximate  complete- 
ness and  accuracy.  It  contains  nearly  three  hundred 
and  fifty  names.  The  Synod  reported  one  hundred 
and  sixty-seven  to  the  last  General  Assembly.  About 
one  hundred  and  eighty  have  disappeared,  the  churches 
having  been  disbanded,  or  transferred  to  Congregational 
Associations,  and  in  some  cases,  two  or  more  have 
been  consolidated. 


SYNOD  OF  VENTRAL  NEW  YORK. 


743 


Ministers  and  Churches  connected  with  the  Synod  in  1876. 

The  italics  denote  the  address  of  ministers  without  charge. 


MINISTERS. 

CHURCHES. 

X 

u 

la 

140 
146 
209 
130 

<£ 

a 

-^  o 
BTS 

0   0 

=  •£ 
>  z 

<o  *■> 

c  = 
o  c 

mo 

#101 
135 
178 

1012 

si 

if 

x  5 
£*•  s 

H  O 
WO 

$1500 
12U0 
1982 
2445 

83 

il 

H  H.  Allen,  S.  S... 

Onernta,  .   

Alex.  Adair,  P 

Israel  N.  Terry,  P 

Ox  Bow 

New  Hartford 

N.  Y.  Mills 

90 
73 

C.  B  Austin,  S   S. . . 

*S.  W.  Bush 

Binqhamton 

Apalachin 

30 
170 
265 

Geo.  Bavless,  P.  E 

W.  H.  Bates,  P 

McGrawville 

Waverley 

East  Worcester 

197 
196 

62 
100 

1500 
2000 

"'750 
1600 

20 
100 

A.  G.  Beebe 

Hamden 

62 

275 

19? 

F.  A.  M.  Brown,  P 

Delhi,  Second  

G  B  Barnes,  P.  E. 

213 

155 

2250 

900/ 

E.  G.  Bickford... 

Marash,  Turkey 

D.  W.  Bi^elow  . 

P..  L.  Bachman,  P 

Fayetteville 

186 

591 

1940 

110 

S.  W.  Brace.  D.  D 

Utica 

Henry  Boynton 

P.  Barbour 

Clinton 

Chaumont •. . . 

T.  J.  Brown,  P 

Westminster 

Verona 

476 

107 

81 

193 

220 
85 
23 

'iia 

174 

972 

182 

53 

'242 
95 
141 

8584 
1038 
850 

"i200 
2213 
1250 

836 

D.  I.  Biggar,  P 

A.  H.  Beebe,  P 

30 

Clayville, 

50 

I.  0.  Best 

Clinton 

96 

N.  M.  Clute,  P.  E 

Deposit 

12 

R.  A.  Clark,  P.  E 

Edward  Cope,  S.  S 

Henry  Callahan 

Smithville  Flats 

Guilford  and  Norwich  

Franklin 

Oxford 

Sidney  Plains 

10 

"ig 

31 

' '3066 
1300 

H.  P.  Collin,  S.  S 

E.  G.  Cheeseman,  S.  S.  .. 

213 
175 

R.  T.  Conant 

Ogdensburgh 

J.  A.  Canfield 

Sing  Sing 

N.  J.  Conklin.  P 

Gouverneur 

284 

74 

49 

82 

54 

192 

143 

130 

170 

S3 

68 

587 
60 
31 
54 
50 

496 
98 
42 
51 
45 
95 

1876 
800 
595 
1069 
1300 
2630 
8350 
3800 
1300 
1270 
738 

385 

J.  M.  Chrysler.  P 

Col  lamer 

19 

J.  E.  Close,  P 

Jordan   

Andrew  Cochran,  S.  S. 

Oneida  Castle 

50 

A.  H.  Corliss,  P.  E 

Samuel  Dunham,  P 

C.  S.  Dewing,  P 

Waterville 

Binghamton  West 

Union  .• 

120 
145 
175 

W.  A.  Dunning.  S.  S 

Thos.  Dobbin,  P.  E 

Franklin 

ft 

H.  M.Dodd,  P.  .. 

10 

Justus  Doolittle 

B.  W.  Dwiarht,  d.d 

Valentine  Down 

Alder  Creek  and  Forestport. . 
Syracuse  

28 

1 

P.  W.  Emens 

7U 


PRESBYTERIAN1SM  IN  THE 


MINISTERS. 

CHURCHES. 

a 

o 

60 
229 
180 
126 

46 

B 

—  3 

?£ 

l§ 

MO 

40 
131 
221 

"68 

a  g 

"S  * 

II 

wo 

3  a 
§  s 

Chauncey  Francisco,  S.  S. . 
E.  B.  Furbish,  P. 

Middlefield  Centre 

$    425 

3250 

1089 

188 

500 

Potsdam 

1918 

D.  A.  Ferguson.  F 

Hammond 

146 

A.  H.  Fahnestock,  P 

W.  S.  Franklin,  S.  S 

Syracuse.  First  Ward 

106 
50 

Chester  Fitch 

Bockford,  III 

H.  W.Gilbert 

J.  P.  Gulliver,  d.d.  ll.d.,  P. 

Binghamton 

Binghamton,  First 

546 
'  99 
196 

1933 

"7266 

1055 

S   R.Griffith      

Bloomington,  111 

D.  N.  Grummon,  P 

Philander  Griffith 

Jas.  Gardner,  P 

Wm.  Graves 

Bainbridge 

Otego 

Canton 

Watertown 

1C4 
'185 

1600 

'  iooo 

60 
'l40 

N.  W.  Goertner.  d.d.  P 

Thomas  Hempstead 

G.  D.  Horton,  S.  S 

Hamilton  College 

Fairbury,  III 

Coventry.  First 

104 

"90 

71 

40 

'"59 

189 

195 

.... 

'"'600 
10C6 

1250 

25C0 

2424 
'566 
1125 

800 

850 

1100 

2120 

1650 

2083 

1451 

111) 

1051 

1873 
7251 

8300 
820 

1363 
2500 

95 
"76 

Henry  Hickok.  S.  S 

Frederick  Henard,  S.  S 

Sacketts  Harbor 

Woodville 

30 

H.  C.  Hazen,  S.  S 

Liverpool     

74 

13 

Selden  Haines,  d.d 

E.  P.  Hastings 

T.  B  Hudson,  d.d.,  P 

Borne    

Ceylon,  India 

Clinton 

448 

1092 

857 

A.  G.  Hopkins 

Clinton 

Binghamton 

Oneida.     . 

273 
"ifl 

iio 

578 

"is 

35 

R98 

J.  D.  Jones 

E,  W.  Kellogg.  S.  S 

G.  J.  Kaercher 

J.  L.  Kehoe,  S.  S 

R.  G.  Keyes 

English  Settlement,  Iowa .    ... 
Truxton 

"84 

Preston 

Worcester 

Watertown 

Binghamton 

H.  Lyman 

J.  E.  Long,  S.  S 

J.  Lafferty.S.  S 

'/'/  iangle 

Preble 

Niclu  Is 

56 
102 

35 
270 

43 
'405 

50 
29?, 

II    W    Lee,  S.  S 

Laurens 

30 

C.  M.  Livingston,  P 

S.  W.  Leonard 

Watertown,  Stone  St. 

30 

J.  R.  Lewis.  P 

Boonville 

184 
188 
165 
58 
158 

866 
167 
44 
93 

142 

James  Lamb,  P 

Albert  F   Lyle,  P.  E 

s  .Mandeville,  S.  S 

i;    W.  McCormick,  P 

Utica.  Bethany 

West  Utica 

Masonville 

Waddington    

1437 
73 

Sabin  McKinney        

Ariel  MeMaster 

C.  K    McHarg,  S.  S 

S    M  unlock 

Binghamton 

.)/-  nomonee.  Wis 

Cooperated  n 

J    I?    Mor-e 

662 

Hl'.ll 

S    II.  Moon,  S    S 

Gllbertevllle        

214 
503 

10 

L   M    Miller,  P. 

871 

8    1     Merrill 

Syracuse,  First. . .  

152 
21 

L200 
2 

794 

(;.  A.  Miller.  S.  S 

W    N    Miliar- 

Oneida  Valley 

.1.  W.  Mears,  d.d 

K.  N.  Manle-, .  P 

Clinton ..... 

Camden 

i29 

iii 

"87 

M    Yey,  I' 

Binghamton,  North 

162 

96 

120 

SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK. 


45 


MINISTERS. 

CHURCHES. 

S  i 

3 

o 

BO 

fi 

■s  1 

B   £ 
g  M 
—  = 

S  § 
S-3 
—  .-5 

^0 

"631 

1900 

li240 
1072 

4217 
1525 

IOOO 

2182 
1000 
585 
1000 
1500 

3357 
950 

1500 
2500 
948 
1762 
8182 
1419 

1250 
1800 

1300 

i56 
2800 
1289 

•J 

1284 

'sio 

11878 

Shavertown 

N.  F.  Nickeison 

S  W  Nelson  ..    

Le  Roy 

Cleveland,  N.  Y 

Utica 

Dundee,  N.  Y 

Windsor 

78 

'lio 

"87 

18 

T.  H.  Northrop 

AshbelOtis,  S.  S 

J.  S.  Pattengill,  S.  S 

W.  W.  Palmer 

50 

J  J  Porter,  d.d.,  P.   . 

390 
85 
335 
224 
128 
70 
95 

871 
152 

75 

302 

65 

130 

1 582 

E.  H.  Pratt,  S.  S 

79 

E.  B.  Parsons,  P 

M.  N.  Preston,  P 

J.  Petrie,  S.  S 

J.  B.  Preston,  S.  S 

H.  N.  Payne,  P.     

W.  Putnam 

Baldwinsville    

Skaneateles 

Pompey 

Manlius 

131 
37 

15 

Herkirner 

W.  B.  Parmelee 

Arthur  Potts,  P 

Little  Falls 

200 

85 

137 
240 

201 

157 
28 

119 

82 

1 751 

E.  H.  Payson,  P.  E 

Vernon 

E.  C.  Pritchett,  S.  S 

L.  R.  Richards,  P 

Oriekany 

31 

J.  H.  Robinson,  P 

Delhi,  First 

ro 

A.  B.  Robinson 

W.  M.  Robinson,  P 

Ileuvelton 

64 

54 

53 

25 

J.  S.  Root,  P 

Jas.  Robertson 

Oneida  Lake 

S.  W.  Raymond 

"'86 

19 
170 

178 

11a 

152 

G.  L.  Roof,  P 

Lowville 

200 
101 
95 
79 
372 
212 

100 

D.  M.  Rankin,  S.  S 

30 

W.  A.  Rice,  V 

819 

E.  F.  Robb,  P 

35 

Thos.  Street,  d.d.,  P 

W.  II.  Sawtelle,  P 

A.  iSnashall    

Cortland 

Nineveh 

/;;  nf/Jtarnton 

257 
344 

P.  F.  Banborne,  8.  8 

H.  U.  Swinnerton,  P 

F.  H.  Seeley,  S.  S 

Springfield 

Cherry  Valley 

Richfield  Springs 

Albany .   .    

Neiv  Haven,  N,  Y. 

( tawego,  Grace 

135 
150 
84 

'isi 

215 
128 

90 

891 

821 

58 

"278 
519 

529 
241 
184 

43 
109 

10 

F.  B.  Savage 

E.  Scovell 

i;,i 

Ji    II.  Stebbine 

A.  C.  Shaw.  I' 

Fult  >n 

I).  Bcovel,  P.  E 

■l.  P.  Stratton,  P 

Marcellue 

Mexico 

i-,» 

F.  D.  Seward,  P 

Hannibal 

10 

F.  A.  Spencer. 

s.  p.  Bprecher,  1' 

A.  E.  Smith,  S.  S 

Utica,  First 

\  Brnoil  Centre.    . 

007 
117 

'  '20 

180 

240 

1 195 

656 
1008 

80 

S.  J   Tracy 

F.  w.  Townsend,  S.  S.  ... 

E.  G.  Townsend    

David  Torry,  d.d.,  P 

E.  G.  Thnrber.  P 

David  Tully,  P 

Springfield,  -\.  1'. 

Exeter  Centre 

/'/»//  Idenee  Forge,  Va 

( lazenovia 

Syracuse,  P'k  Cen 

■o.  First  

in 

198 

Allan  Travcr,  S.  S 

Thomas  Thomas 

Wampeville    

Trenton,  .v.  }'.... 

D.  C.  Tyler,  S.  S 

iWest  Camden  

1- 

7-1 8 


PRESBYTERIANISM  IN  THE 


MINISTERS. 

CHURCHES. 

E 

ii 

t- 

-S 

<J  _ 

148 
87 
97 

108 

-1 

II 

— 
m 

17 
5:3 
21 

If 

M  O 

wo 

Is 

y 

=   1 

M.  F.  Trippe,  P 

Augusta 

Miiford  . . ,    

116.") 

6642 

91(1 

1200 

i89i 

1400 

1200 
1043 

i2io 

950 

'660 
1228 
3200 

'll7 
1000 
1200 
1300 
819 

'300 

"289 

10882 
1209 
1879 

800 

700 

1400 

"97 
4613 

'eks 

•1.-. 

419 

454 

Samuel  Van  Camp,  S.  S — 
C.  S.  Vincent,  P 

12 

Turin. 

165 

10O 

Gilbertstille 

E  V  Wales 

N    W.  Wells,  P 

175 
137 

395 

83 

497 

Enos  Wood    S.  S 

J.  L.  Waugh,  P 

Brasher  Falls         

73 

70 

82 

36 

12 

B.  A.  Williamson,  S.  S 

ft 

D.Williams 

Cleveland,  N.  Y. 

M   V.  D.  Waters 

B.  F.  Willoughby,  P 

L.  Williams,  S.S 

A.  S.  Yale. 

Sauquoit 

Lyon's  Falls 

138 

48 

77 
28 

159 

86 

Marathon 

Cannonsville 

25 

nit 

308 

47 
286 

75 
48 
60 

5 

Rossie 

Chaumont 

36 
96 

Kill 

ni 

82 
89 

'.in 
12 
40 
t 
23 
•,'2 
329 

M 
97 
90 
30 

148 
13 
Hi 

400 
13 
79 
15 

22 
45 

52 
158 
:>>■■) 
15 
22 

"ii 

.... 
— 
793 

80 

84 
37 
30 
78 

8CT 

"27 

150 
100 

UDadilla 

New  Berlin 

Fly  Creek 

50 

15 

50 

5 

ViKil 

6 

18 

Cleveland 

'349- 

Elbridge 

Holland  Patent, 

Otisco 

20 

"26 

300 

Whitesboro 

Qtica,  Elizabeth  Street 

South  Trenton 

S20 

170 

10 

555 

DeRuyter 

Lysander 

Freetown 

Willet              

18 
M 

115 
60 
26 

130 
22 
19 

48 
30 
29 
50 

"43 

41 

6 

4 

81 

Otego 

Ainhoy 

.... 

Pom pey  Centre 

Oneida  Lake 

.... 

Deerfield 

Westfbrd.     

Redfleld 

Uobart 

SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK. 


74:7 


MINISTERS. 

CHURCHES. 

« 

a 
O 

39 

43 
39 
18 
28 
39 
16 
26 
10 
18 
10 
2 
24 

—  o 

=  ~ 

>  i. 
II 

"23 

si 

"2  * 

S.ff 

wo 

00 

| 

5 

Martinsburgh   

East  Guilford 

'475 
'205 

::•::! 

Williamstown 

Durhamville 

Plessis  

West  Turin 

DeKalb 

Ohio  

Ellsworth 

Grant 

Wilna , 

Norwich  Corners 

INDEX 


A 

Abell,  James 685 

Abbey,  David  A 686 

Adams,  J.  W 453 

Aiken,  S.  C 209 

Alexander,  Caleb   87 

American  Board  Meetings  at 

Utica 295 

Anti-Slavery  Agitation 154 

"          "         Convention  at 
Utica 165,311 

Associations  Congregational 

Black  River 10 

Middle 11 

Oneida 10 

St.  Lawrence 11 

Union 11 

Auburn  Convention 73 

Augusta 411 

B 

Backus,  President  Azel 317 

Bacon,  Wm 454 

Badger,  Joshua 48 

Bainbridge. ...   419 

Baldwin,  Dwight 458 

Baldwin,  John  C 366 

Baldwin,  Methusaleh 48 

Baldwin,  Truman 456 

Baird,  Mrs.  Sarah  365 

Barclay,  David 48 

Barrows,  E.  S 459 

Barton,  John 212 

Bartholomew,  0 461 

Bates,  Mrs.  Sarah 344 

Beckwith,  B.  B   463 

Benedict,  Rev 48 

Benedict,  Joel  A 464 

Benevolent  Societies 117 

Benevolence,  Presbyterian, 

in   Central  X.  Y 116 

Benjamin,  Simeon 341 

Binghamton 427 


Boardman,  G.  S.  . .  , 
Bogue,  H.  P 

JBogue,  P.  V 

!  Boyd,  James 

Bo  vie,  James 

Brace,  S.  W 

Bradford,  Wm.  H... 
Bradford,  Wm.  J . . 
Bradley,  Dan 

j  Brainard,  Israel  . . 

Brewer  Fund , 

Bronson,  Oliver.  . .  , 

Bruin,  B 

Buckmore,  David. . , 

Burchard,  Eli 

Burchard,  Jedediah 
Burt  is,  Arthur.   . .  . 

Bush,  S.  F 

Bushnell,  Jedediah 
Butler,  Charles  F. 


Camden 

Camp,  P s  . 

Campbell,  A.  E 

Campbell,  Rev 

j  Canfield,  S.  B  

Cannon,  F.  E 

Carnahan,  Pres.  James 

Catlin.M 

Catlin,  O 

Chapin,  A.  L 

Chapin,  Joel 

Chapman,  Jedediah 

Chassels,  D 

Cherry  Valley 

Childs,  S.  D 

Childs,  Mrs 

Churches  first  organized  in 

Central  New  York 

Churches  —  Provision    for 

themselves 

Church  Quarrels 


467 
465 
464 

47 
277 
210 
468 
469 

83 
215 
442 
470 
687 

48 
471 
278 
474 
477 

50 
478 


95 

479 
480 

48 
482 
486 
487 
321 
493 
494 
493 

49 
494 
390 
344 
345 

82 

129 
140 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK. 


'49 


Churches1— List  of  Churches 
that  have  been  connected 
with  Presbyteries  on  field 
of  Cent.  N.  Y.  Synod 

Churches — List  of  Churches 
now  connected  with  the 
Synod  of  Cent.  N.  Y 

Clark,  Caleb 

Clark,  D.  A 

Clark,  Daniel 

Clark,  T.  S 

Clark,  Mrs.  Thos.  E 

Clarke,  Mrs.  Sarah  K 

Cleveland,  B.  F 

Clinton 94, 

Clinton,  Isaac 

John 

Coe  Xoah 

College,  Hamilton 

Colleges,  Denominational.  . 

(  (mini unity,  Oneida 

Condict,  Aaron    

Condit,  R.  W 

Congregationalism— 

Affinity    with  Presbyte- 

rianism    

Sympathy 

deration 

Convention,  Auburn 

Convention,       Anti-Slavery, 

Utica 

Cooler,  Eli  F 

Cope,   Edward 

( Sooperstown 

Cozzens,  B.  W. . 

Crain,  Abijah 

Coshman  Ralph 

D 

Darrow,  N 

Davis  Pres.  II 818, 

Davis,  B 

Day,  Prea 

m,  G.  E 

Dbg  i  i  i  i  now — 

Supplies  for,  bv  church- 

I  Senl    N.  ST,   ... 

Behemefl  to  provide  for. 

D           8.  E                   .... 
Dibble,  Sheldon 


/40 


743 
497 
498 
498 

400 
721 
720 
688 
172 
500 

48 
•21(5 
312 
377 
44:i 

47 
501 


45 
54 
54 
73 

165 

502 
503 
400 
503 

211 


505 

510 
49 

511 


12  1 
L25 

511 


Diell,  John 512 

Discipline  of   church  mem- 
bers     139 

Discipline,  Ministers 139 

Dodd,  Bethuel 00 

Dodge,  Wm.  E  . . 374 

Dunham,  Asa 48 

Dunham,  H 688 

Dunlop,  Samuel 440 

Dwight,  Henry 518 

Dwight,  H.  (j.*  0 513 

Dwight,  J.  H 533 

Dwight,  Pres.  S.  E 319 

Dwight,  Pres.  Timothy 49 

E 
Edwards,  Pres.  Jonathan,  Jr.     84 

Eels,  James 534 

^'amuel 48 

Ellbridge 433 

Ely.  Rev 48 

Evangelists     277 

"  Excision,  The" 69 

F 

Fancher,  E.  B 535 

Fine,  John 709 

Finney,  C.  G 

Piaher,  Pres.  S.  W   ...   320,  53 7 

Floyd 04 

Force,  James 4S 

Ford,  Henry 85 

Ford,  Bfarcne v,'» 

Freeman  -l 48 

French  and  English  V\ 
Frost,  John      

Q 

Uale,  G.  W 

i.lv    iii  Svra- 

cuse 

al  Assembly  in  ' 

Qillett,  Moses. . .' 91 

Goodrich,  C.  E. ; 

Goodrich,  Win.  11 

Grant,  Asahel 

Grant,  Mrs.  a 

<  trees  Beriah 161 

hl> 

Gridley,  A    I> 

Gridlei  W 


750 


PRESBYTERIANISM  IN  THE 


H 

Hadley,  Prof.  J 321  I 

Harrower,  D 12,  579  | 

Hamilton  College — 

History  of  312 

Character  of  the  instruc- 
tion at 323 

Deceased  officers  of 31? 

Donors,  large 335 

Funds  raised  for 330 

Law  school  of 333 

Present  Faculty 333 

Treasurer 

Trustees 327 

Hart  J 47 

Hart,  Levi 48 

Hastings,  S.  P.  M 580 

Hastings,  Thomas 696 

Hawley,  Gideon 581 

Hay,  P.  C 582 

Herkimer 93 

Hillyer.  Asa 48 

Holland  Patent 405 

Homer    421 

Hopkins,  A.  T 5-3 

Hotchkiss,  B 48 

How,  J.C 585 

Howell,  L.  D 594 

Hoyt,  J.  H 586 

Hoyt,  O.  B 586 

Humph  rev,  John 588 

Hungerford,  J.N ..    354 

Huntington,  D 48 

I 
Immigration    42 

Indian* — 

Character  of .. 17 

Missions  among 19 

Treaties  with 40 

Tribes  of 17 

J 

JardinS 365 

Johnson,  Rev 97 

Johnson,  Joshua 83 

Judd,  B 47 

K 

Kellogg,  S 167 

Kerr,  George 594 

Kerr,  N 47 


King,  Walter,  Esq 713 

King,  Walter,  Rev 48 

Kimball,  D 596 

Kimball,  R 597 

Kinne,  Rev 48 

Kingsley,  C.  C 345 

Kirk.R.  R 597 

Kirkland,  Samuel 28,  313 

Kirkland,  Win 321 

Knapp,  J 48 

Knox,  James 336 

Knox,  John  J 363 

L 

Land  Purchases 41 

Lansing,  D.   (' 87 

Lathrop,  J.  H 321 

Leonard,  J   89 

Lewis,  Isaac 598 

Lindsley,  J 48 

Linklaen,  J 695 

Lisle 420 

Litchfield,  E.  C 366 

Little  Falls 83 

Logan,  R 49 

Ludlow,  H.  G 600 

Lyman,  Rev 48 

mi 

Maltbie,  E.  D 604 

Mandell,  A 606 

Mandeville,  H 322,  330,  605 

Mappa,  Col.  Adam 48 

Marcellus 431 

Mavnard,  Win.  H 335 

McLain,  Rev 48 

Ministers     connected     with 
Presbvteries   on    field    of 

Synod  Cent.  X.  Y 733 

Ministers  of  Synod  Cent.  N. 

Y.  in  1876..*. 748 

Millard,  II.  X 606 

Ministers  from  membership 

Cent,  X.  Y.  churches, 123 

Missions 47 

Boards  and  Societies. .  .  59 

Missionaries,  early 47 

Missionaries,  foreign, 
furnished  bv  church- 
es Cent.  X.  Y 123 

Monteith  ,  J 321 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK. 


751 


Morgan,  H.  B 608 

Moselv,  S 610 

Murdock,  J 610 

M  vers,  J 611 

Myrick,  L 278 

N 

Neill,  \\m 611 

Newark  Vallev  431 

New  Hartford 83 

"  New  Measures," 267 

Niles,  B 615,  689 

North,  Pres.  S 320 

Norton,  Asahel 90 

Norton,  Herman 615 

Norton,  Prof.  S 321 

Nott.  Eliphalet 618 

Noyes,  Prof.  J 321 

O 

Occura,  Samson 624 

Ogden,  D.  L 625 

Ogdensburgh 433 

Olden  barnveldt,  or  Trenton.  410 

Oliver,  A 626 

Oneida  Community 443 

Oquago,  now   Windsor 428 

Orton,  A.  G 627 

Osborn  J    627 

Ostrom,  Mrs.  Mary  W.  E. . .  722 

Oxford 417 

P 

Paris 94,  172 

Paine  I.-,  T 

Parsons,  L 628 

Pastorates 131 

Patterson,  J 48 

Patriotism  of  ministers  and 
churches  in  <  int.  .V  V. .  .    1 15 

Pres   •) 819,  830 

Pettibone,  B 631 

Perine,  Rev    Dr 48 

Plan  of  I  Dion,  the 55 

Plans  of   Dnion,  local 61 

Popo  lation,  growth !)7 

Porter,  Rev -is 

Porter,  P.  B 855 

Pratt,  S.  F 856 


Presbytery  of — 

Albany 7 

Bingharnton 9 

Chenango 8 

Cortland 8 

Delaware 8 

Dutchess  county 6 

Geneva 7 

Mohawk 9 

Ogdensburg 8 

Oneida 7 

Oswego 8 

Otsego 10 

St.  Lawrence 8 

Syracuse 9 

Ctica 8,  10 

Watertown 9 

Presbyteries  now  existing.  .  9 

Presbyterianism — 

Character  of  its  religion 
at  the  first  settlement 

of  Cent.  N.  Y 44 

Affinity  to  Congrega- 
tionalism   45 

and  sympathy  with  it .  .  15 

and  cooperation  with  it  4">  5  1 

PRE8BYTERIANT8M    IN  CENTRAL 

New   York  — 

Its  benevolence.  .  .  .116,  124 

Its  derivation 100 

[te  growth  Vi 

Its  intelligence 113 

Its  orderliness  and   or 

thodoxy 100 

[te  patriotism 14"> 

Perfecting  its  organiza- 
tion   128 

[•-  provision  for  itself.  129 
Its  provision  for  destitu- 
tions about  it 124 

Its  reformatory  spiril  155,1  15 

Its  revivals.           167 

Its  Sabbath  zeal Ill 

Putnam,  Aaron <i;;:{ 

U 

Quarrels,  church 140 


752 


PRE8BYTERIAN1SU  IN  THE 


B 

Redfield 97 

•'Reunion,  The" 81 

Revivals— 

Controversies  about 257 

Remarks  on 281 

Between  1799-1809. .  .168-177 
1809-1 819... 177-184 
1819-1 829... 184-226 
1829-1839... 226-240 
1839-1849... 240-246 
1849-1 859... 246-253 
1859-1869... 253-257 
in  Adams,  185,  190,  196,  227, 
229,  236,  242 

in  Alexandria 235,  238 

in  Amboy 245,  256 

in  Antwerp 235,  238 

in  Augusta,  197,  227,  230.  237, 
238,  250 

in  Bainbridge 227 

in  Baldwinsville,  232,  248,  256 

in  Belleville 227,  229,  235 

in  Berkshire,  182.  225,  228,  246 
in  Binghamton,  182,  225,  233, 
246,  248,  256 
in  Black  River  Institute..  .242 
in  Boonville,  228,  229,  231,  250 
in  Bowman's  Creek,193,229,232 

in  Brantingham 236 

in  Brasher  Falls 244,  246 

in  Bridgewater.186,225,229,237 

in  Brownville,  185,    189,   199, 

227,  229 

in  Buel 244 

in  Butternuts,  193,229,232,238 

in  Camden 227,  229,  246 

in  Camillas 232,  243 

in  Canton 'ill,  246 

in  Cape  Vincent 199,  242 

in  Caroline 228 

in  Carthage.    199 

in  Cassville 241 

in  Cazenovia,  182, 02 1.  2  17.  256 

in  Champion 181 

in  Cherry  Valley,  1 78, 1  S3, 187, 
189,238,248 

in  <  Hcero 224,  227 

in  Clinton 172 

in  Cincinuatua 25'.'.  25  1 


Revivals— 

in  Clayville 250 

in  Columi  us 182 

in  Cooperstown,  178,  182,  184, 
187,  229,  232,  238.  242 

in  Columbia '  231 

in  Copenhagen 

in  Couklin 246,248 

in  Cortlandville,  225,  232,  233, 

246, 248,  252 

in  Coventrv,  176,  178,  182,  254 

in  Deerfield 237,  250 

in  DeKalb 241 

in  Delhi 238 

in  Denmark 199,  225,  229 

in  Deposit 254 

in  Dewitt 243 

in  Dryden 254 

in  Eaton 

in  Elbridge 182,  224 

in  Ellisburg 192,  198 

in  Evans' Mills 238 

in  Exeter 

in  Fabius 182,  224 

in  Fairfield 231 

in  Fayetteville,  224,  232.  238, 
243,  245,  248,  254 

in  Florence 194,  229 

in  Frankfort 224 

in  Fly  Creek,  226,  229,  232,  238 

in  Forks  Delaware 227 

in  Franklin 227,  237,  238 

in  Freetown 248 

in  Fulton 238,  249 

in  German   178 

in  Gilbertsville.  .238,  246,  250 

in  Gouverneur 200,  229 

in  Granby  192 

in  Guilford 254 

in  Hancock 238 

in  Hamden 224.  238 

in  Hamilton  College,  188,  192, 
239,  251,  255 

in  Hannibal 229 

in  Harpersfield.  .227,  236,  238 

in  Harrison 192 

in  Hartwick 171,  227.  229 

in  Herkimer 197 

in  Homer,  172,  174,  178,  188, 

186,  224.  233,  238. 

246,   248,  252,  256 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK. 


753 


Revivals— 

in  Holland  Patent,  189,228,231, 
234,  237,  244,  247 

in  Jamesville 225,  232 

in  Jefferson   237,254 

in  Laurens ....  247 

in  Lenox 198,  238 

in  LeRav.... 199,229 

in  Leyden 199,  235 

in  Lisle,  182,  228,  233,  235,  248 
in  Litchfield,  178,  189,225,238  I 
in  Little  Falls ....  197,  231,  238  ' 

in  Liverpool 227,  245 

in  Lorrain 189 

in  Lowville,  200,  227,  229,  235 

in  Lvsander,  192, 232,  238,  243, 

244 

in  Madison, 193 

in  Madrid 192 

in  Manlius,  182,  224,  232,  238, 
245 

in  Marathon 247 

in  Marcellns   .  .   .186,  224,  245 
in  Martinsburg.  .199,  229,  235 

in  Maryland 229,  232 

in  Massena 

in  Matthew's  Mills 232 

in  Metcalf  Settlement 170 

in  Mexico 227,229 

inMiddlefield 234,242 

in  Middletown 238 

in  Milford,  187,  219,  234,  251, 

in  Milton   192 

in  Morrisville 227 

in  Nanticoke   233 

in  Newark  Valley,  186.2 2 

in  New  Berlin 242.  851 

in  New  I  hut  ford,  181,184,186, 

228,  238,  241,  250,  255 

in  New  Haven 190,229 

in  New  Lisbon 229,  241 

in  Newport 350 

in  New  Stockbridge.  .23 1,2:17 
in  New  York   Mills,  227,  230, 

237,  388,  242,  247,  250 

in  Nichols 25<; 

in  Nineveh 254 

in  Norway 226 

in  Norwich..  182,  183, 189,246 
in  Oak  Creek 226,  282 


Revivals— 

n  Ogdensburg.  ..247,253,  254 

n  Oneida 197,  237 

n  Oneonta 234 

n  Onondaga,  175,178,182, 186, 

191,  232,  243,  245 

n  Oriskany 242,  246 

n  Orleans 229,  236 

n  Orrville 245 

n  Oswego.192,229,238.244,247 

n  Otisco,  174,  178,   182,  191, 

224,  232,  245 

n  Otsego  Creek 170 

n  Owego,  225,  227,228,235, 256 

n  Paris 172.  192 

n  Parishville 227,241 

n  Peterboro 238 

n  Phoenix 241 

n  Pitcher  244,  246,  252 

n  Pompey,  178.  182,  224.  225, 
227,  232,  245,  247,  256 

n  Potsdam 229,  241 

n  Preble 178,224,238 

n  Preston 182 

nRedfield 97,  193,197 

n  Remsen 227 

n  Richford 228 

n  Richland 229 

n  Ridgeville 245 

n  Rodman. 190 

n  Rome,  181,  186,  202,  225, 
227,  -29,231.238.241.2  12, 
244,  246,  250 

in  Russia 228,  231 

in  Rutland 181,  225 

in   Sackets  Harbor.    190,   227, 

22!),  238,  241.  242 


in  Salina. 


SO, 


235,  211 


in  Salisbury    231,244 

in  Sandy  Creek     

in  Sangerfield    174.  189 

in  Sauquoil,  181,225,  228,  2:;?. 
240,  242,  250 

in  Schuyler 230 

in  Bcipio 172 

in   Sherburne,   17 1,    L82,   186, 
187,  246 

in  Skaneatelef L88 

in  Bkenandoah, , ,  192,  19*3 

in  Bmithfield 182,  186 


754 


PRKSBY1EHIAN1SM  IN  HIE 


Revivals  — 

in  Smithville 235 

in  Smyrna 182,  186 

in  Springfield.... 232,  234,238 

in  Stockbridge 231,  237 

in  Syracuse,  227,  232,  238,  243, 
245,  247,  256 

in  Theresa  235 

in  Tompkins 238 

in  Trenton.  .189,  227,  231,  237 

in  Truxton.  .182, 186,  227,  229, 

248 

in  Turin 229 

in  Union,228. 233, 235,  244,  248 

in  Utica,  178, 184, 186. 192, 206, 

226,  227.  230,  237,  238, 

239,  241,  247,  250 

in  Vernon,  181,  186,  231,  240, 

243,  247,  250 

in  Verona 183,  237,243 

in  Virgil 178,  192,  254  j 

'  in  Volney 178,  192,  2471 

in  Walton   238,  251,  254  | 

in  Wampsville ....  .  .   238  I 

in  Warren 228,  231,  237  | 

in  Watertown,   189,   190,  225, 

227,  229,  238,  2 4 -J 

in  Waterville. . .  .238,  241,  280 

in  West  Brunswick  .  .231,  237 

in  West  Coventry 227 

in  Westernville,  202,  227,  231, 
in  Westford.    ..  229,  232,238 

in  West  Hartwick 232 

in  Westville 233 

in  Whitney's  Point 248 

in  Westmoreland ,184, 227,  228, 

237,  246 
in  WThitesboro,  178.  181.  184, 

186,228,  231,237,250,256 

in  Wilna l«l!».  225 

in  Winfield 231 

in  Windsor 177,227 

in   Worcester,    170,   229,   232, 

238,  241 
Revolutionary  War — its  ef- 
fects on  religion    . . .  43.  28  I 

Riggs,  ^ 684 

Robbing,  Ammi 48 

Robert,  Christopher  R 368 

Robinson,  Ralph 635 


Rodgers,  James 639 

Rome 91 

Rowland,  J 641 

S 

Sabbath — Christian,  under 
Presbyteriauism  in  Cen- 
tral New  York 141 

Salaries — Ministers' 115 

Savage,  J.  A 643 

Searle,  Moses  C 644 

Semple,  Rev 4s 

Sherburne 414 

Skaneateles 432 

Smith,  E.  G 645 

Smith,  Gerrit 163,  372,  447 

Smith,  John. 646 

Smith,  J.  Fiuley 646 

Smith,  Perry  R. 693 

Snowden,  S.  F 647 

Snyder,  Peter 649 

Societies — voluntary  relin- 
quished for  ecclesiastical  127 

Spencer,  Elihu 651 

Spencer,  Theodore   651 

Spencer,  Win.  H 655 

Starr,  F 361 

Stevens,  J 42 

Stewart,  Alvan 164 

Stone,  Wm 659 

Strong,  Prof.  T 321 

Strong,  W.  L 660 

Stuart,  Capt.  &  Rev.  Charles,  661 
Supplies  for  destitute  places,  124 

Synod  of— 

Albany 6 

Central  New  York.   ...  5 

Geneva 6 

New  York ...  5 

New  York  &  N.  Jersev,  5 

Utica 6 


Tappan,  Lewis 311 

Taylor,  John .      93 

missionary  tour,     93 

Taylor  Samuel 48 

Temperance 144 


SYNOD  OF  CENTRAL  NEW  YORK. 


755 


Territory — Central  X.  York 
its  aboriginal  inhabit- 
ants       1G 

— its  features 13 

Thatcher.  Rev 48 

Thatcher,  W 691 

Tompkins,  John 663 

Tracy,  S.  J 663 

Trenton 01,  95,  410 

Truair,  John 664 

U 

Union 429 

Utica 93,  94,  389 


Van  Valkenburgh,  D. 

Vanderkamp,  A 

Vermilye,  H.  G 


665 

91 

667 


W 

Walcott,  B.  S 346 

Walcott,  Wm.  D 353 

Walker,  E 671 

Ward,  I.  W 671 


Wars — 

French  and  English  ...     31 

Revolutionary 33 

and  its  effect  on  religion     43 
384 
Presbyterianism  of  Cen- 
tral Xew  York  in.  . . .     34 

Waterbury,  D 672 

Watertown 437 

Wavland,  Prof.  J 321 

Weeks,  Wm.  R 85,  673 

Weld,  S.  D 163 

Welsh,  M.  G 48 

Wetmore,  Oliver.  .  .166,  217,  407 

Wheelock,  Eleazer 25 

Whitesboro 93,  94 

Williston  Seth 49,  50,  684 

Wilcox,  S.  C 680 

Wilcox,  Prof.  S.  D 321 

Williams,  Comfort 680 

Williams,Mre.  Catharine  H.  728 
Williams,  Mrs.  Sophia  W  .  .  730 
Williams,  Col.  William  .  .  .   705 

Williams,  W.  F 680 

Wilson,  Geo.  S 676 

Windsor,  formerly  Oquago,  428 

Woodruff,  H.  X 675 

Y 
Yale,  Calvin 684 


THE 


PRESBYTERIAN  ELEMENT 


IN   OUR 


.NATIONAL   LIFE   AND   HISTORY. 

A  N     ADD  B i 

Delivered  before  the  Synod  of  Central  New  Yurk 
at  Watertown,  October  18th,  iv; 

B\    PROF.  J.   \V.    MKARS.    J).  I). 


ADDRESS. 


That  particular  system  of  doctrine,  allied  to  a  partic- 
ular form  of  government,  which  we  call  Presbyterianism, 
well  deserves  recognition  at  this  Centennial  Era  among 
the  forces  which  have  contributed  to  form  and  to  per- 
petuate our  national  life.  Intermingled  as  it  has  been 
with  a  thousand  other  forces,  it  might  seem  impossible 
to  define  accurately  its  influence  or  to  assign  beyond 
question  its  due  share  of  merit,  in  the  hundred  year 
vicissitude  and  of  progress  which  have  just  closed.  But 
there  is  a  certain  broad  character,  a  certain  strength  and 
solidity,  a  certain  frank,  unmistakable,  uncompromising 
tone  about  Presbyterianism  which  renders  much  easier 
the  task  of  discrimination,  and  goes  far  to  convert  it  into 
a  known  instead  of  an  unknown  quantity  in  the  prob- 
lem which  we  are  to  endeavor  to  solve  this  evening.  The 
influence  of  the  waters  of  Lake  Geneva  upon  the  river 
Rhone  is  of  the  most  positive  and  beneficent  character. 
It  rushes,  turbulent  and  muddy,  into  the  clear  bosom  of 
the  lake  upon  the  east,  anil  leaves  it  on  the  west,  a  per- 
fectly pure  stream  of  the  finest  azure  hue  Not  unlike 
the  contributions  of  Lake  Geneva  to  the  muddy  river, 
have  been  the  influences  of  Presbyterianism  upon  the 
welfare  ami  perpetuity  of  the  national  existence,  ih 

indeed  we  do  no1  pretend  to  press  the  comparison  as  to 
the  extent  and  thoroughness  <>f  the  transformation. 


4  THE  PRESBYTERIAN  ELEMENT  IN  OUR 

The  subject  presents  itself  naturally  under  two  as- 
pects, the  historical  and  philosophical,  or  more  fully  and 
in  the  form  of  questions  : 

I.  What  facts  have  occurred  in  our  national  history 
in  which  the  influence  of  Presbyterian  men  and  Pres- 
byterian institutions,  as  such,  has  been  manifest  in 
moulding  our  national  institutions  and  directing  the 
national  policy?  and 

II.  What  are  the  tendencies  inherent  to  Presbyteri- 
an ism  which,  by  the  nature  of  the  case,  adapt  it  to  exert 
a  plastic  influence  upon  the  destinies  of  a  free  people  ? 

It  is  past  doubt  that  the  very  existence  of  our  country 
is  due  to  forces  set  in  motion  and  brought  to  play  in 
history  by  the  Reformation  under  Calvin.  The  Puri- 
tans in  New  England,  including  Roger  Williams  and 
the  earlv  Baptists,  the  Dutch  in  New  York  State,  the 
Covenanters  in  the  Cumberland  Valley,  the  Quakers  in 
eastern  Pennsylvania  and  the  Huguenots  of  the  Caro- 
Iinas  and  New  York  all  performed  parts  of  the  first  im- 
portance in  the  original  colonization  of  our  country,  and 
all  drew  their  inspiration  more  or  less  directly  from  the 
great  Reformer  of  Geneva.  ♦ 

As  to  the  Puritans,  I  cannot  do  better  than  to  quote 
from  one  of  the  most  illustrious  of  their  descendants, 
words  uttered  at  one  of  those  anniversaries  which  New 
Englanders  observe  with  a  pride  which  would  be  sec- 
tional, if  New  England  did  not  belong  in  a  peculiar 
sense  to  the  whole  country.  "In  the  reign  of  Mary,'* 
says  Mr.  Choate,  "  a  thousand  learned  Englishmen  fled 
from  the  stake  at  home  to  the  happier  seats  of  Conti- 
nental Protestantism.  Of  them  great  numbers,  I  know 
not  how  many,  onme  to  Geneva.     There   they  awaited 


NATIONAL  LIFE  AND  HISTORY.  5 

the  death  of  the  Queen,  and  then  sooner  or  later,  but  in 
the  time  of  Elizabeth,  went  back  to  England.  /  a- 
to  that  five  years  in  Geneva,  an  influence  that  has  changed 
tlit  history  of  the  world.  I  seem  to  myself  to  trace  to 
it  .  .  the  opening  of  another  era  of  time  and  of 
liberty  .  .  a  portion  at  least  of  the  objects  of  the 
great  civil  war  in  England,  the  Republican  constitution 
framed  in  the  cabin  of  the  Mayflower,  the  divinity  of 
Jonathan  Edwards,  the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill  and  the 
Independence  of  America.  In  that  brief  season.  English 
Puritanism  was  changed  fundamentally  and  forever  .  . 
On  the  banks  of  a  lake  lovelier  than  a  dream  of  fairy 
land,  in  a  valley  which  might  have  been  hollowed  out 
to  enclose  the  last  home  of  liberty,  there  smiled  an  inde- 
pendent, peaceful,  law-abiding  and  prosperous  common- 
wealth. There  was  a  people  governed  by  laws  of  their 
own  making.  I  confess  myself  to  be  of  the  opinion  of 
those  who  trace  to  that  spot  and  to  that  time  the  Re- 
publicanism of  the  Puritans. 

"  There  was  a  State  without  king  or  nobles  ;  there  was 
a  church  without  a  bishop.  I  do  not  suppose  that 
learned  men  needed  to  go  to  Geneva  to  acquire  the  idea 
of  a  commonwealth.  But  there  they  saw  the  problem 
solved.  Popular  government  was  possible.  This  ex- 
perience they  never  forgot" 

It  is  not  necessary  to  multiply  authorities  or  to  look 
further  for  the  genesis  of  Puritan  principles  in  their 
bearing  upon  the  life  and  character  of  the  nation.  As 
Presbyterians,  we  are  willing  to  concede  to  New  Eng- 
land all  the  eminence  she  claims  in  the  early  history  of 
the  nation,  if  her  most  gifted  and  loyal  sons  agree  to 
trace  thai  eminence  to  the  influence  of  the  Gem 


I  i  THE  PRESB  YTEMAN  ELEMENT  IN  0 1 R 

Reformer  upon  the  characters  and  beliefs  of  the  Pilgrim 
Fathers. 

As  for  the  Huguenots,  their  settlements  in  America 
antedated  all  others  nearly  half  a  century,  but  Spanish 
bigotry  and  cruelty  trampled  them  out  in  blood,  antici- 
pating by  seven  years  the  horrors  of  St.  Bartholomew 
by  the  massacre  of  the  nine  hundred  settlers  of  St.  Au- 
gustine. Scarcely  enough  of  them  escaped  to  tell  the 
story.  More  than  a  hundred  years  passed,  during 
which  the  Huguenots  of  France  were  learning  by  the 
hard  drill  of  Popish  persecution,  the  incalculable  value 
of  religious  and  political  liberty ;  and  when,  by  the  re- 
vocation of  the  Edict  of  Nantes,  in  1685,  they  were 
scattered  by  hundreds  of  thousands  over  the  Protestant 
world,  those  who  came  to  America  brought  the  very 
material  which  was  needed  in  the  structure  of  our  lib- 
erties— a  something  which  can  be  likened  to  the  spring 
and  the  fibre  of  finely  tempered  steel.  The  first  child 
bora  in  New  York  State  was  of  Huguenot  parents; 
and  such  names  as  John  Jay,  Henry  Laurens,  Elias 
Boudinot,  the  first  President  of  the  American  Bible 
Society,  John  Bayard  and  Francis  Marion  illustrate  the 
prominence  of  this  element  in  the  early  struggles  in 
war,  diplomacy  and  Christian  beneficence  of  our  coun- 
trymen. It  was  the  son  of  a  Huguenot  that  gave  his 
name  to  Faneuil  Hall  and  offered  it  for  those  purposes 
of  consultation  and  eloquent  appeal,  which  have 
cured  for  it  the  title  of  "  Cradle  of  Liberty." 

The  Covenanters  are  represented  by  the  Scotch-Irish, 

who  did  not  leave  their  country  before  striking  heavy 

blows  for  the  truths  of  the  Reformation  at  home.     The 

of  iln-  men  who,  on  the  7th  of  December,  168S,  shut 


XA  TIONAL  LIFE  A  ND  HIS  TORY.  7 

the  gates  of  Deny,  and  starved  rather  than  surrender 
to  the  Popish  troops  of  James,  were  trained  to  endure 
the  hardships  of  frontier  life,  and  had  nerves  which  did 
not  flinch  or  quiver,  however  great  the  foe  before 
them,  because  there  was  a  conscience  behind  them. 
They  were  fit  material  to  enter  into  the  structure  of 
the  new  Commonwealth.  They  came  late,  and  yet, 
twenty-six  years  before  the  Declaration  of  Indepen- 
dence, a  quarter  of  a  million  of  Ulster  county  Presby- 
terians had  landed  upon  our  shores. 

From  what  great  struggles  and  preparatory  experi- 
ences came  the  Presbyterians  of  the  low  countries,  I 
need  not  detain  you  to  tell.  History  has  no  task  more 
honorable  than  that  of  recording  the  contest  between 
the  Beggars  of  Holland  and  the  Grandees  of  Spain. 
The  conflict  for  liberty  only  partially  successful  there, 
had  to  be  transferred  to  the  soil  of  America  in  order  to 
attain  a  complete  and  enduring  triumph.  The  first  set- 
tlers in  New  Netherlands  were  thirty  families,  chiefly 
Protestant  refugees  from  the  Belgian  provinces.  They 
came  in  the  spring  of  1628.  The  settlement  of  Man- 
hattan, says  Bancroft,  grew  directly  out  of  the  great 
Continental  struggles  of  Protestantism. 

The  beneficent  influence  of  the  Quakers  upon  the 
opening  scenes  of  our  Colonial  history  cannot  easily  be 
overrated.  George  Fox,  the  founder  of  the  sect,  may 
fairly  be  regarded  as  an  outgrowth  of  English  Puritan- 
ism. William* Pen n  received  part  of  his  college  train- 
ing at  Saunuir,  where  there  was  a  Calvinistic  institu- 
tion under  the  guidance  of  Amyrault  The  religion 
and  the  philosophy  of  the  Huguenots  had  their  influ- 
ence with  the  founder  of  the  Keystone  State.     It  <-«>uld 


8  THE  PRESB  YTERIAN  ELEMENT  IN  0  U/i 

scarcely  have  been  Quakerism  which  reserved  in  the 
Colonial  law  the  first  day  of  the  week  as  a  day  of  rest. 
We,  as  a  Synod,  have  a  share  in  the  closing  on  the 
Lord's  "Day  of  the  doors  of  the  Centennial  Exhibition 
in  the  great  city  founded  by  William  Penn,  but  I  sus- 
pect it  would  have  been  a  more  difficult  task  but  for 
that  Presbyterian  element  which  the  Quaker  legislator 
imbibed  into  his  own  nature,  and  infused  into  the  laws 
and  customs  of  his  famous  Colony. 

If  we  except  the  settlers  of  Virginia,  and  that  small 
but  dominant  part  of  the  colonists  of  Maryland  who 
were  Catholics,  and  the  Lutherans  and  Moravians  who 
came  to  Georgia  under  Oglethorpe,  we  shall  find 
America  at  the  revolution  little  else  than  a  community 
of  Calvinists  of  different  degrees  of  strenuousness  in 
(1<  tctrine  and  practice,  but  showing  the  same  general  fea- 
tures of  that  system.  All  other  constituent  elements 
of  the  population  might  be  omitted  without  vitiating  a 
general  estimate  of  its  character ;  but  what  would  the 
United  Colonies,  on  the  eve  of  the  revolution,  have 
been,  if  suddenly  the  entire  element  due  to  the  Calvin- 
istic  Reformation  had  been  withdrawn  from  the  coun- 
try ?  Conceive,  if  you  please,  the  loss  in  mere  num- 
bers made  good  by  an  equally  sudden  multiplication  of 
either  of  the  other  elements  then  to  be  found  in  small 
numbers  in  Virginia,  Maryland  and  Georgia,  and  it  is 
impossible  to  believe  that  under  such  auspices  a  great 
free  nation  could  have  grown  up  on  this  continent.  In 
fact,  the  second  supposition  is  itself  impossible,  for  it 
was  only  the  so-called  Reformed  element  of  the  world's 
population  that  was  then  in  sufficient  numbers  under 
the  colonizing  impulse:  under  the  propelling  force  of 


NA  TIONAL  LIFE  AND  IIISTOIi  Y.  9 

an  outraged  conscience,  which  gladly  preferred  exile 
to  the  sacrifice  of  principle ;  which  had  been  made 
ready  by  the  special  training  of  Providence  for  the 
very  work  of  establishing  in  a  new  world  a  new  age  and 
a  new  order  of  things.  Without  them,  without  the 
men  and  the  sons  of  the  men  who  had  gone  through  the 
experiences  of  St.  Bartholomew's  Day,  of  Leyden  and 
Harlem  and  Deny  and  Smithfield,  we  may  be  very 
sure  the  independence  of  America  would  never  have 
been  attempted  or  achieved. 

As  we  approach  the  critical  period  of  the  national 
history,  the  beginning  of  the  century  which  we  are  now 
celebrating,  the  lines  are  drawn  more  closely,  and  the 
relations  of  the  Reformed  element  to  the  struggle  of  the 
revolution  assume  a  positive  unmistakable  attitude. 
Presbyterianism,  through  the  length  and  breadth  of  the 
country,  allies  itself,  identifies  itself  with  the  cause  of 
free  government.  Of  the  Scotch-Irish  race  in  America 
it  is  said  that  it  was  perhaps  the  only  race  of  all  that 
settled  in  the  western  world  that  never  produced  one 
tory.  The  nearest  case  to  it  ever  known  was  that  of  a 
man  who  was  brought  before  a  church  session  inCham- 
bersburg,  and  tried  upon  the  charge  that  he  was  not 
sincere  in  his  professions  of  his  attachment  to  the 
cause  of  the  revolution.  It  is  claimed  that  General 
Washington,  when  making  a  long  and  disheartening 
retreat  was  asked  where  he  expected  t<»  pause.  He  re- 
plied, that  it'  lie  were  obliged  t<>  cross  everv  river  and 
mountain  to  the  limits  of  civilization,  be  would  make 
his  last  stand  with  the  Scotchdrisliiucn  of  the  frontiers, 
there  plant  his  banner  ami  still  6ghl  for  freedom. 

The  first  public  voice  in  America,  .-ays  Bancroft,  for 
dissolving  all  connection  with  Great   Britain,  came  not 


10  THE  PRESBYTERIAN  ELEUES'1  7JV  OUR 

from  the  Puritans  of  New  England,  the  Dutch  of  New- 
York,  nor  the  planters  of  Virginia,  but  from  the  Scotch- 
Irish  Presbyterians.  He  refers  to  the  celebrated  Dec- 
laration of  the  county  of  Mecklenberg,  1ST.  C,  which 
preceded  the  Declaration  of  Independence  more  than  a 
year,  and  which  not  only*  anticipated  the  spirit  but  to 
a  most  remarkable  degree  the  very  language  of  that 
memorable  document.  Here  was  a  secluded  people, 
not  carried  away  by  the  infection  of  a  general  excite- 
ment, but  led  by  the  sheer  force  of  conviction  and  con- 
sistency with  principle  alone,  to  declare  themselves 
absolved  from  former  ties  of  allegiance,  and  to  organize 
an  independent  government,  nearly  fourteen  months 
before  they  were  followed  and  supported  by  the  united 
voice  of  the  country.  It  is  not  ludicrous,  this  arrayal 
of  a  single  county  against  a  great  and  proud  empire. 
The  document  itself  shows  that  a  grand  spirit,  a  broad 
humanity,  dictated  the  movement.  The  Presbyterian 
Elder.  Ephraim  Brevard,  who  signed  it,  sealed  his 
fidelity  by  the  sacrifice  of  his  life  in  the  national  cause. 
The  document,  printed  in  Chariest*  >n.  was  spread  through 
the  South,  and  was  forwarded  In-  a  messenger  to  the 
Continental  Congress.  Its  direct  influence  upon  the 
phraseology  of  the  greater  Declaration  which  followed 
it.  lias  been  denied  :  so  be  it;  it  only  follows  that  the 
Presbyterian  as  well  as  the  Jeffersonian  document 
flowed  from  the  same  deep  fountain  of  popular  love  of 
liberty  and  preparedness  for  self-government,  which  the 
Presbyterians  were  the  quickest  to  recognize  and  the 
lirst  to  put  into  articulate  speech. 

It  wras  the  great  State  of  Virginia,  Jefferson's  State. 
which  more  than  a  year  after  the  Mecklenburgh  declar- 


XA  TIONA  L  LIFE  A  XD  HIS  TOR  Y.  1 1 

ation,  and  a  few  weeks  before  the  4tli  of  July,  1776, 
passed  the  first  Bill  of  Rights  involving  the  principle 
of  self  government  and  independence,  and  although  the 
act  of  the  State  was  practically  unanimous,  yet  it  would 
scarcely  have  been  the  work  of  a  people  wholly  de- 
scended from  the  cavaliers  and  adventurers  who  formed 
the  early  colonists  of  Virginia.  "  The  population," 
says  Bancroft,  "had  been  recruited  by  successive  in- 
fusions of  Scotch-Irish  Presbyterians,  Huguenots  and 
the  descendants  of  Huguenots,  men  who  had  been  so 
attached  to  Cromwell  or  the  Republic  that  they  prefer- 
red to  emigrate  on  the  return  of  Charles  IT.,"  and  other 
elements.  Among  the  Scotch-Irish  members  of  the 
Virginia  Assembly,  who  adopted  the  Bill  of  Rights, 
was  Patrick  Henry.  Another  member  was  James  Mad- 
ison, afterwards  President  of  the  United  States.  Ee 
was  of  English  descent,  but  had  pursued  his  studies  in 
Princeton,  under  Witherspoon.  His  name  appears  in 
the  Triennial  of  that  College,  in  the  class  of  1771. 
Doubtless  the  young  man  of  scarcely  twenty-five  brought 
the  influences  of  his  college  training  into  the  debate  upon 
the  proposed  Bill  of  Rights,  when  he  objected  to  the 
word  ••  toleration"  in  the  Bill,  because  it  implied  ;in  es- 
tablished religion,  which  endured  dissent  only  as  a 
condescension,  while  he  contended  that  all  men  are 
equally  entitled  to  the  :ercise  "t"'  religion,  accord- 

ing to  the  dictates  of  conscience. 

The  President  <>f  Princeton  College  at  that  tune 
the  famous  John  Witherspoon;  patriot,  divine,  legisla- 
tor, educator  in  one ;  a  true  leader  of  men.     A  native 
of  Scotland  and  a  minister  in  the  National  Church,  he 
had  already  risen  to  eminence  there,  when  he  was  called, 


1 2  THE  PliESB  YTERIA N  ELEMENT  IN  0  UR 

in  1768,  to  the  Presidency  of  Princeton  College.  He 
had  scarcely  arrived  on  his  new  field,  when  he  threw 
himself,  with  characteristic  ardor,  into  the  canse  of  the 
Colonies,  and  became  the  recognized  leader  of  the  pa- 
triots of  his  adopted  State." 

Powerful  in  pulpit  oratory,  he  improved  the  general 
fast  appointed  by  Congress  for  May  17, 1776,  by  preach- 
ing a  sermon  whose  very  title  is  a  rhetorical  triumph  : 
"  The  Dominion  of  Providence  over  the  Passions  of 
Men."  In  this  discourse,  founded  on  Ps.  76, 10 :  "  Sure- 
ly the  wrath  of  man  shall  praise  thee,  and  the  remain- 
der of  wrath  shalt  thou  restrain,"  he  says : 

Yoa  are  all  my  witnesses  that  this  is  the  first  time  of  my  intro- 
ducing any  political  subject  into  the  pulpit.  At  this  season,  how- 
ever, it  is  not  only  lawful  but  necessary,  and  I  willingly  embrace 
the  opportunity  of  declaring  my  opinion  without  any  hesitation, 
that  the  cause  in  which  America  is  now  in  arms,  is  the  cause  of 
justice,  of  liberty  and  of  human  nature."  "There  are  fixed 
bounds  to  every  human  thing.  When  the  ^ranches  of  a  tree 
grow  very  large  and  weighty,  they  fall  off  from  the  trunk.  And 
there  is  a  certain  distance  from  the  seat  of  government  where  an 
attempt  to  rule  will  either  provoke  tyranny  and  helpless  subjec- 
tion, or  provoke  resistance  and  effect  a  separation." 

*  Ten  years  before  he  left  Scotland  he  had  shown  his  profound 
religious  sympathy  with  the  American  Colonists  by  the  following 
language  : 

"  The  violent  persecutions  which  many  eminent  Christians  met 
with  in  England,  from  their  brethren  who  called  themselves  Pro- 
testants, drove  them  in  great  numbers  to  a  distant  part  of  the 
world,  where  the  light  of  the  Gospel  and  true  religion  were  un- 
known. Some  of  the  American  settlements,  particularly  those  in 
New  England,  were  chiefly  made  by  them,  and  as  they  carried  the 
knowledge  of  Christ  to  the  dark  places  of  the  earth,  so  they  con- 
tinue, themselves,  in  as  great  a  degree  of  purity  of  faith,  and 
strictness  of  practice,  or  rather  a  greater,  than  is  to  be  found  in 
any  Protestant  church  now  in  the  world." — Works  Edinb.,  1804, 
5,  pp.  194,  105. 


XA  TIONA  L  LIFE  AND  HIS  TOR  Y.  1 3 

Having  spoken  of  the  success  of  the  Colonists  thus 
far,  he  adds : 

"  Remember  the  vicissitude  of  human  things  and  the  usual 
course  of  Providence.  How  often  has  a  just  cause  been  reduced 
to  the  lowest  ebb,  and  yet  when  firmly  adhered  to,  has  become 
finally  triumphant.  I  speak  this  now,  when  the  affairs  of  the 
Colonies  are  in  so  prosperous  a  state,  lest  this  prosperity  itself 
should  render  you  less  able  to  bear  unexpected  misfortunes." 

"  Nothing  is  more  certain,"  he  says  again,  "than  that  a  general 
profligacy  and  corruption  of  manners  make  a  people  ripe  for  de- 
struction. A  good  form  of  government  may  hold  the  rotten  ma- 
terials together  for  some  time,  but  beyond  a  certain  pitch  even 
the  best  constitution  will  be  ineffectual,  and  slavery  must  ensue. 
Whoever  is  an  avowed  enemy  to  God,  I  scruple  not  to  call  him 
an  enemy  to  his  country." 

This  remarkable  sermon  was  published  by  request, 

and  was  accompanied  by  an  "address  to  the  natives  of 
Scotland  residing  in  America,"  in  which  the  royalist 
tendencies  of  his  countrymen,  just  at  that  time  pecu- 
liarly  excited  by  occurrences  in  the  mother  country, 
wen-  earnestly  combatted.  The  American  Declaration 
of  [independence,  which  had  taken  place  between  the 
delivery  and  the  publication  of  the  Sermon,  was  de- 
fended on  the  following  grounds :  1.  That  it  was  neces- 
sary. 2.  That  it  will  be  honorable  and  profitable.  3. 
That  in  all  probability  it    will   be   no  injury,  but  a  real 

advantage  to  the  island  of  Greal  Britain. 

A  lew  days  after  the  fast,  Witherspoon  took  his  s<  i 
as  a  member  of  the  Provincial  Assembly  of  New  Jer 
sey.  The  royalisl  Governor  of  the  State,  being  cited 
before  the  bodj  to  answer  for  his  conduct,  entered  the 
hall  escorted  b\  the  military,  and  denounced  the  assem- 
bly as  illegal  and  the  members  as  low-bred,  ignoranl 
men,  wholly  incompetent  for  legislation,  and  deserving 


1 -±  THE  riiESB  YTEltlAN  ELEMENT  IN  0  VR 

to  be  hung  as  rebels.  What  the  other  members  thoughtr 
Witherspoon  did  not  wait  to  hear,  but  at  the  moment 
the  Governor  ceased,  he  sprang  to  his  feet  and  poured 
out  a  torrent  of  invective  and  irony,  for  which  the  il- 
legitimate birth,  the  scanty  education  and  well  known 
coarseness  of  the  royal  Governor  gave  fair  opportunity. 
"  On  the  whole,"  concluded  Witherspoon,  "  I  think 
Gov.  Franklin  has  made  us  a  speech  every  way  worthy 
of  his  exalted  birth  and  refined  education."  The  Con- 
vention voted  to  depose  the  Governor,  and  the  next 
day  sent  Witherspoon,  with  five  others,  to  represent 
New  Jersey  at  the  Continental  Congress.  Witherspoon 
was  the  only  clergyman  who  sat  in  that  body.  They 
arrived  in  the  midst  of  the  deliberations  preceding  the 
last  great  step  towards  Independence.  Witherspoon  at 
once  took  a  bold  position.  The  gravity  and  solemnity 
of  the  occasion,  in  his  view,  were  such  as  to  demand 
promptitude,  and  not  at  all  to  justify  delay.  "  Mr. 
President,"  he  said,  "  that  noble  instrument  on  your 
table,  which  insures  immortality  to  its  author,  should 
be  subscribed  this  very  morning  by  every  pen  in  the 
House.  He  who  will  not  respond  to  its  accents,  and 
strain  every  nerve  to  carry  into  effect  its  provisions,  is 
unworthy  the  name  of  freeman.  Although  these  gray 
hairs  must  descend  into  the  sepulchre,  I  would  infinitely 
rather  they  should  descend  thither  by  the  hand  of  the 
executioner,  than  desert,  at  this  crisis,  the  sacred  cause 
of  my  country." 

He  held  his  place  in  Congress  for  six  years,  served 
on  various  important  committees,  drew  up,  as  is  be- 
lieved, the  report  on  the  cruel  treatment  of  prisoners 
by  the  British  in  New  York,  and  was  deputed  to  visit 


^V.l  TIOXA  L  L IFE  A  XD  HIS  TORY.  1 5 

the  headquarters  of  the  army  to  improve  the  lamenta- 
ble condition  of  the  troops.  He  wrote  important  State 
papers ;  opposed  extravagant  issues  of  paper  money : 
pled  with  Congress  for  the  maintenance  of  the  public  cred- 
it ;  resisted  the  proposed  appointment  of  the  notorious 
but  popular  Thomas  Paine  to  an  important  secretaryship  ; 
labored  to  build  up  a  strong  central  government ;  main- 
tained unwavering  faith  in  the  national  cause,  in  the 
most  trying  times,  and  contributed  the  full  strength  of 
a  grand  and  unblemished  character  to  sustain  the  repu- 
tation of  the  Continental  Congress,  when  torn  with  dis- 
orders and  turbulence  on  account  of  the  refusal  of  the 
States  to  confer  upon  it  the  necessary  authority.  Thus 
he  not  only  aided  in  meeting  the  military  difficulties  of 
the  Revolution,  but  also  those  in  many  respects  more 
trying,  which  arose  from  the  political  and  financial  em- 
barrassments of  the  struggle.  His  counsels  on  these 
latter  questions,  although  not  followed  at  the  time,  have 
been  fully  justified  by  their  subsequent  adoption.  He 
was  a  hard  money  man,  and  believed  in  the  necessity 
of  a  strong  central  government. 

It  is  honorable  to  the  Presbyteriaif  Church  of  Amer- 
ica that  it  remembers  so  gratefully  the  incalculable 
services  of  this,  by  all  odds,  the  most  heroic  figure  in 
her  early  history,  and  is  marking  this  centennial  year 
by  a  suitable  monument  to  his  memory. 

I  might  mention,  and  put  in  contrast  with  Presbyte- 
nanisin,  the  attitude ol  another  prominent  body  of  pro 
fessing  Christians,  which,  at  the  close  of  the  Revolu- 
tion, found  Itself  nearly  annihilated  as  the  result  of  its 
tor?  sympathies.  I  mighl  contrast  the  behavior  of  two 
distinguished  clergymen  <>f  the  city   of   Philadelphia, 


ltf  THE  PRESBYTERIAN  ELEMENT  IN  OUR 

one  of  whom,  indeed,  at  the  beginning  of  the  war. 
seemed  overflowing  with  patriotic  zeal,  but  who,  when 
the  inevitable  dark  days  came,  wrote  to  Gen.  Washing- 
ton, urging  him  to  abandon  the  cause  of  America  as 
hopeless,  and  suggesting  to  him  to  dictate  a  peace  at 
the  head  of  his  army — after  which  traitorous  advice  he 
fled  the  country.  The  other  was  a  Presbyterian  minis- 
ter, the  pastor  of  the  Third  Church  in  Philadelphia, 
who  bore  the  illustrious  name  of  Dufheld.  This  de- 
scendant of  the  Huguenots  was  called  from  his  charge 
in  Carlisle  to  the  position  in  Philadelphia,  early  in  the 
sessions  of  the  Continental  Congress,  and  while  the  rep- 
resentatives of  England  still  exercised  authority  in  the 
affairs  of  the  city  and  the  State.  But  Mr.  Duffield 
did  not  hesitate.  He  threw  the  whole  weight  of  his 
position  and  influence  on  the  side  of  Congress.  Seized 
and  brought  before  the  magistrate  for  seditious  conduct 
in  persisting  in  preaching  a  patriotic  sermon,  he  declined 
to  give  bail,  and  the  case  was  postponed.  Meanwhile  the 
whole  city  and  State  was  aroused,  and  a  band  of  patri- 
ots, known  as  "the  Paxton  boys."  living  near  Harris- 
burg,  met  and  resolved  that  if  the  King's  government 
dared  to  imprison  Mr.  Duffield,  they  would  march  to 
Philadelphia  and  liberate  him  at  the  point  of  the  bay- 
onet 

The  members  of  the  Continental  Congress  were  fre- 
quently in  attendance  on  his  ministrations.  Four 
months  before  the  Declaration  of  Independence  he 
preached  before  an  assembly  of  Pennsylvania  militia 
and  members  of  Congress,  a  famous  discourse,  in  which. 
with  irresistable  eloquence,  he  urged  the  necessity  of 
that  measure.     He  declared  thai  heaven  designed  this 


XA  TI  OX  A  L  L IFE  A  XI)  HIS  TORY.  17 

western  world  as  the  asylum  of  liberty,  and  that  to 
raise  its  banner  here  their  forefathers  had  surrendered 
the  dearest  ties  of  home,  friends,  and  native  land,  and 
braved  the  tempests  of  the  ocean  and  the  terrors  of  the 
wilderness.  ';Can  it  be  supposed,''  he  asks,  "that  the  Lord 
has  so  far  forgotten  to  be  gracious  and  shut  up  his  ten- 
der mercies  in  his  wrath,  and  so  favored  the  arms  of 
oppression,  as  to  deliver  up  their  asylum  to  slavery  and 
bondage  1  As  soon  shall  he  subvert  creation,  and  for- 
bid his  sun  to  shine.  He  preserved  to  the  Jews  their 
cities  of  refuge,  and  whilst  sun  and  moon  endure,  Amer- 
ica shall  remain  a  city  of  refuge  for  the  whole  earth, 
until  she  herself  shall  play  the  tyrant,  forget  her  desti- 
ny, disgrace  her  freedom,  and  provoke  her  God." 
Among  the  proofs  of  the  effectiveness  of  this  discourse 
was  an  offer  of  fifty  pounds  by  the  British  for  the  cap- 
ture of  the  preacher.  Four  days  after  the  Declaration 
of  Independence,  lie  received  a  commission  as  chaplain 
in  the  Pennsylvania  militia.  In  this  position  he  mag- 
nified his  office,  faithfully  sharing  the  perils  of  the 
campaign,  preaching  to  his  regiment  on  Staten  Island, 
while  the  enemy's  missiles  from  the  Jersey  shore  rattled 
ovt-r  their  heads,  and  risking  his  life  in  the  disastrous 
New  Jersey.  With  the  return  of  peace  be 
resumed  his  place  as  pastor  of  the  Third  Church,  and 
I  can  testify  that  the  stamp  of  his  patriotic  zeal  remains, 
ina  marked  degree,  upon  the  Third  Church,  better 
known  in  Philadelphia  as  Old  Pine  St  Church,  to  this 
day.      By    the  side   of   the    tablet    in   the   vestry,  which 

bears  the  name  of  Duffield,  may  be  seen  another  of  still 
tenderer  interest,  bearing  the  name-  of  eighteen  youth- 
ful members  of  the  same  congregation,  ••martyrs."  as 


1 8  TUB  PliESB  YTER1AN  ELEAIEW  T  IN  0  UJi 

they  are  called  in  the  inscription,  "  from  Old  Pine  St 
Church/'  young  men  who  laid  down  their  lives  in  the 
struggle  of  1861-65.  And  that  the  pulpit  of  Old  Pine 
St.  in  those  later  days,  held  by  one  who  bore  the  fa- 
mous name  of  Brainerd,  was  equally  faithful,  I  can 
testify  with  equal  emphasis.  "  God  forbid,"  said  Dr. 
Brainerd,  to  his  people,  on  the  Fast  Day  of  April,  1863, 
"  God  forbid  that  I  should  entrust  our  young  men  to 
the  perils  of  the  field,  and  not  bless  them  daily,  in  the 
name  of  the  Lord.  We  have  a  great  cause,  but  a 
greater  God.  We  bring  the  interests  of  a  continent, 
with  the  welfare  of  its  future  hundreds  of  millions  :  we 
bring  the  safety  of  our  civil  government;  we  bring  the 
great  cause  of  humanity  at  large  :  all  the  freedom  that 
earth  has  gained  in  six  thousand  years  ;  we  bring  the 
interests  of  Christianity  itself,  which  alone  in  this  free 
land  has  found  impartial  liberty  of  conscience  and 
worship ;  we  bring  all  these  to  the  altar,  and  say,  O 
God,  have  mercy  upon  us,  and  vindicate  our  cause 
from  those  who  have  risen  up  against  us.  We  live  in 
an  hour  on  which  the  destiny  of  ages  is  turning.  We 
are  touching  springs  which  will  vibrate  on  the  weal  or 
woe  of  far  distant  generations.  Let  us  meet  it  on  the 
field,  if  need  be,  with  courage;  in  our  closets  with 
prayer  to  the  God  of  nations  and  armies." 

Thomas  Brainerd  would  have  uttered  substantially 
the  same  sentiments  anywhere,  but  standing  in  the  pul- 
pit of  the  Third  Church,  they  seem  to  gather  force  from 
the  century — old  echoes  that  might  be  imagined  to  haunt 
the  aisles  and  pillars  of  that  memorable  building.* 

-Albert  Barnes,  in  his  tract  on  Presbyterian  Affinities,  says  : 
"  Some  other  denominations  are,  and  ever  must  be,  reluctant  ever 
to  refer  to  the  history  of  their  clergymen  and  many  of  their  people* 


NA  TIOXA  L  L IFE  A  XD  HIS  TOR  Y.  19* 

It  is  almost  superfluous  to  attempt  to  explain  to  this 
audience  what  it  is  in  Presbyterianism  and  in  the  Re- 
:<  trmed  Churches  generally,  which  necessarily  led  them 
to  assume  the  position  of  avowed  and  active  adherence 
to  the  revolutionary  cause.  Nowhere  else  in  the 
world  is  a  more  ardent  love  of  liberty  joined  to  a  more 
decided  attachment  for  system  and  order.  Liberty  in 
law  is  the  watchword  of  Presbyterianism.  The  Beform- 
ation  itself  was  a  direct  appeal  to  God,  a  personal  union 
of  the  human  heart  to  its  Creator  in  opposition  I 
•  •rushing  weight  and  an  impenetrable  barrier  of  priestly 
mediators.  It  gave  to  every  man  personal  worth.. 
Every  individual  could  and  must  for  himself  realize- 
the  priceless  benefits  and  dignities  of  redemption.  It 
arose  at  once  both  against  the  ecclesiastical  tyranny  of 
the  times  and  the  political  machinery  by  which  that 
tyranny  was  sustained.  In  proportion  as  the  religions 
reaction  of  the  reformation  was  more  radical  was  its 
relation  to  civil  life  more  manifest.  Wherever  the 
hierarchical  element  '  >t  clean  away,  there,  natu- 

rally enough,  appeared  the  idea  of  a  popular  govern- 
The  church  without  a  bishop  carried  with  it 
the  state  without  a  king.  John  Calvin  was  "the 
former  who  pierced  to  the  roots."  His  faith  was 
dreaded  witli  <>n<-  consent  and  witli  instinctive  judg 
rnent  by  all  the  monarchs  of  the  world  as  the  creed  <>f 
republicanism 


the  time  of  the  American  Involution  ,  our  denomination  II  willing 
that  all  that  OCCOTred — all  that  was  done  by  01  flfl  a  Di  flOinil 

>uld  be     .     .     read  by  nil  mankind.     The  pafll  ifl  fixed,  and 
fixed  as  we  would  desire  it  to  i.e.    .    .    There  is  not  a  lii 

that  subject  which    we  would  desire  to  expongfl  OT  chai 


2 ' '  THE  PRESB  TTER1AN  EL EMEX  T  JX  0 1  R 

King  James  L,  bom  and  reared  a  Scot,  spoke  what 
he  knew  when  he  said:  "A  Scots  Presbytery  agrees 
with  monarchy  as  well  as  God  and  the  devil."  Lord 
Bacon  says  :  "  Discipline  by  bishops  is  fittest  for  mon- 
archy of  all  others.''  James  II.  said  :  ''If  there  is  no 
despotic  power  in  the  Church  there  can  be  no  despotic 
power  in  the  State ;  or,  if  there  be  liberty  in  the 
Church,  there  will  be  liberty  in  the  State.*'  Charles  the 
2nd  pronounced  Calvinism  a  religion  not  fit  for  a  gen- 
tleman. 

It  found  its  borne  and  historic  center  and  politi- 
cal expression  in  the  republic  of  Geneva.  But  limited 
to  that  narrow  city^,  it  mnst  have  perished  for  lack  of 
development.  It  must  get  rid  of  old  world  restrictions 
or  die.  It  must  realize  on  a  broader  field,  its  God-given 
impulse  and  tendency  to  become  in  some  true  sense,  a 
kingdom  of  God  on  earth.  Buffeted,  trampled  upon, 
disfranchised,  outlawed  at  home,  its  future  seemed  dark 
indeed  when  the  new  world  which  Popish  enthusiasm 
had  discovered  and  claimed,  arose  upon  the  horizon. 
Rome,  claimed  it.  Commercial  and  scientific  interest 
sighted  its  frontier  and  outlined  its  shape.  But  it  waited 
for  a  century  and  a  quarter,  substantially  unoccupied, 
uiitilthe  hour  for  the  Calvinist  migration  had  come.  Cal- 
vinism was  destined  to  live.  Its  ecclesiastical  and  po- 
litical characteristics  were  too  fundamentally  important 
t«»  be  allowed  to  disappear.  Therefore  the  New  World 
was  opened  and  reserved  for  them.  America  was 
theirs.  America  was  for  the  Oalvinists,  as  truly  as  in 
divine  Providence  the  Calvinists  were  Ua-  America. 
The  adherents  of  this  system  could  not  come  to  Amer- 
ica without  bringing  along  their   intense  convictions. 


X.  1  TIONA L  LIFE  A XD  II 16 TORY.  21 

ingrained  into  their  souls  by  a  century  of  persecution. 
If  Great  Britain  would  not  yield  tliem  a  practical  inde- 
pendence, of  necessity  they  would  grasp  it.  If  armed 
resistance  was  requisite  to  realize  their  ideal  here  in 
these  remote  parts  of  the  earth,  they  unhesitatingly 
would  offer  it. 

There  was  dignity  in  their  coining.  Not  as  a  mere 
mob  or  frightened  herd  of  fugitives  did  \\\ey  come.  In 
place  of  the  cast-off  yokes  of  medievalism,  they  brought 
grand  conceptions  of  a  moral  order  and  a  divine  gov- 
ernment, drawn  from  an  intelligent  study  of  Scripture 
models,  and  from  the  previous  experience  of  an  inward 
self-restraint.  Those  in  whom  a  genuine  Christian 
manhood  had  taken  the  place  of  slavish  dependence 
upon  confessionals  and  priestly  absolution,  were  pre- 
pared to  frame  just  laws,  to  found  a  righteous  govern- 
ment, and  in  their  conduct  to  illustrate  as  well  as  by 
their  blood,  if  necessary,  to  maintain  and  defend  them. 
The  Constitution  of  Plymouth  Colony  was  written 
upon  the  cover  of  a  Bible  in  the  cabin  of  the  May 
Flower  and  signed  and  sealed  upon  the  ocean  by  the 
company  of  Pilgrims.  The  revolt  of  these  men  from 
arbitrary  human  government  was  for  no  selfish  end  what  - 
ever,  but  in  the  name  and  for  the  glory  of  God.  There- 
fore, in  his  name,  they  were  quick  u>  re-establish  and 
zealous  to  maintain  it. 

In  fact,  the  Presbyterianism  of  these  colonists  was 
the  very  form  and  mold  of  a  five  government,  the 
safest  and  best  in  its  main  outlines  that  could  be  found. 
As  the  Presbyterians  of  North  Carolina  anticipated  the 
fact  and  form  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence,  bo 
the  Presbyterians  of  Geneva  and  Scotland   in  working 


2  2  THE  PRESB  YTERIA N  ELEMENT  IN  0  L'R 

out  the  plan  of  a  free,  but  orderly  church,  had  antici- 
pated in  all  its  main  features,  the  political  fabric  by 
which  that  independence  was  consolidated  into  a  grand 
national  and  historic  reality.  In  this  church  all  power 
proceeds  from  the  people,  but  Presbytery  is  not  de- 
mocracy, it  is  not  a  weak  confederation.  It  is  a  com- 
pact representative  government,  with  a  written  consti- 
tution. The  largest  autonomy  is  allowed  to  the  ele- 
mentary parts,  which  is  consistent  with  the  unity  and 
organic  life  of  the  whole.  Every  member  has  rights 
which  the  whole  body  is  bound  to  protect.  The  clergy 
is  not  a  whit  better  off  in  this  respect  than  the  laity, 
and  no  clergyman  better  off  than  his  brother  clergy- 
man. This  principle  of  parity  is  essentially  republi- 
can. At  the  same  time  Presbytery  is  a  government.  It 
is  not  merely  advisory  ;  it  is  authoritative.  "  It  is  de- 
signed to  settle  and  determine  things.  It  implies  as 
its  correlative,  obedience.  The  submission  which  it  de- 
mands is  not  the  mere  submission  which  the  mind  ren- 
ders to  good  advice.  *  *  *  It  is  the  submission  due  to 
those  who  are  appointed  to  rule  and  who  are  entrusted 
with  authority." — Albert  Barnes  Presb. — its  Affinities — 
p.  9-10. 

The  analogy  between  our  republican  form  of  gov- 
ernmenl  and  that  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  is  so 
striking  that  the  subjectHias  become  too  trite  to  need 
extensive  statement  here.  When  we  consider  the  great 
preponderance  of  the  Presbyterian  element  in  the  early 
history  of  the  country,  when  we  reflect  that  the  men 
who  framed  our  Constitution  wereJargely  trained  under 
one  or  the  other  forms  of  church  government  allied  to 
Presbyterianism,  we  cannot  permit  ourselves  to  doubt 


NA  TIONAL  LIFE  A  ND  IIJSTOIi  Y.  23 

that  the  blended  strength  and  elasticity,  the  variety 
and  the  symmetry,  the  liberty  and  the  order,  in  fact  the 
sound  republicanism  of  our  government  were  contribu- 
tions of  Presbyterianism  to  our  national  life. 

I  do  not  deem  it  necessary  to  argue  for  the  perfec- 
tion of  our  national  system,  nor  even  for  that  of  the 
Presbyterian  polity.  Both  have  their  enemies.  Grave 
complications  and  even  catastrophes  have  occurred 
under  both.  If  any  other  form  of  government  could 
have  prevented  the  war  of  secession  on  the  one  hand, 
or  the  excluding  acts  on  the  other,  without  permanently 
sacrificing  still  greater  interests,  I  have  yet  to  see  that 
form  of  government  described  and  its  superiority  dem- 
onstrated. Such  as  it  is,  our  national  government  un- 
doubtedly is  the  outgrowth  of  modes  of  thought 
largely  controlled  by  the  influence  of  Presbyterianism. 

But  polity  is  only  an  outward  form,  only  valuable  as 
the  result  of  inward  forces.  And  it  is  these  inward 
forces  of  Presbyterianism  which  we  must  qow  consider, 
and  in  which  are  the  real  hidings  of  its  power.  These 
inward  forces  are  comprehensively  described  under  the 
single  term  Calvinism.  Calvinism  has  been  regarded 
as  in  fact  a  doctrine  of  government,  a  method  and 
form  in  which  the  divine  power  is  put  forth  in  the  gov- 
ernment of  the  universe.  "  It  is  based  on  the  idea  that 
God  rules,  that  he  has  a  plan  ;  that  the  plan  is  Qxed 
and  certain:  that  it  does  not  depend  on  the  fluctua- 
tions of  the  human  will,  on  the  caprice  of  the  human 
heart,  or  on  contingencies  and  uncertain  and  undeter- 
mined events  in  human  affairs.  It  supposes  that  God 
is  supreme;  that  be  has  authority,  thai  be  has  a  right  to 
exercise  dominion  ;  that,  for  the  good  of  the  universe, 


24  THE  riiESJiYTEIilAN  ELEMENT  jy  OUR 

that  right  should  be  exercised,  and  that  infinite  power 
put  forth  only  in  accordance  with  apian." — Mr.  Iktrnes. 

The  habit  of  thought  and  the  style  of  character 
growing  out  of  this  view  of  the  universe  have  gone 
deeply  into  the  life  of  America.  They  have  been  as 
pillars  of  adamant,  as  an  anchorage  among  rocks  dur- 
ing the  formation  and  growth  <>f  its  political  order. 
This  is  by  no  means  an  exhaustive  statement  of  the 
vital  elements  of  Calvinism.  Joined  with  them  is  the 
sense  of  direct  personal  responsibility  to  God.  and  of 
the  moral  equality  of  all  men  before  him  :  of  the 
emptiness  of  all  earthly  distinctions  compared  with 
those  conferred  by  his  grace  and  spirit,  and  of  the 
moral  unity  of  the  race  in  Adam.  The  prevalence 
of  these  ideas  broke  down  all  the  foundations  of  t yr- 
anny,  while  those  saved  the  liberty  from  becoming  the 
license  of  liberated  slaves,  and  gave  it  the  checks  and 
balances  of  right  reason  and  of  subordination  to  the 
higher  law  of  God. 

Presbyterian  ism  is  a  system  of  clear  and  strong  con- 
victions rather  than  a  matter  of  feeling  and  of  form.  It 
takes  hold  of  the  man  through  his  intellect  and  his  con- 
science. Tts  grasp  upon  the  will,  therefore,  is  clear. 
strong  and  regulative.  It  will  do  nothing  without  a 
sound  reason.  Its  moving  forces  are  applied  to  the 
deepest  principles.  It  is  not  like  the  tempest  which 
stirs  great  waves  for  a  time  and  upon  the  surface,  but 
like  the  tides  and  the  silent  and  deep  currents  which 
day  and  night,  and  year  after  year,  keep  on  their  steady 
course  around  the  globe. 

Strength  of  character,  stability  and  endurance,  are  the 
social  and  natural  outcome  of  such  a  system.      It   may 


NATIONAL  LIFE  AND  HISTORY.  25 

be  said  that  these  points  belong  constitutionally  to  the 
Anglo-Saxon  race.  But  take  away  from  them  their 
monarchical  old-world  associations  and  aristocratic  re- 
pressions, and  give  them  independence — let  them  stand 
alone—the  race  will  then  need  an  inward  self-regula- 
tive principle.  Never  was  it  called  to  stand  alone  as 
in  America.  It  would  not  have  attempted  thus  to 
stand  alone,  if  it  had  not  been  conscious  of  possessing 
a  backbone  such  as  Calvinism  has  given  it. 

Calvinism  gives  toughness  and  fibre,  and  an  anvil- 
like power  of  resistance,  which  wears  out  hammers 
rather  than  yields  ;  Calvinism  reads  the  word  discipline 
in  the  word  disaster.  Calvinism  gets  victory  by  the 
rough  road  of  defeat;  Calvinism  teaches  and  practices 
a  perseverance  which  springs  from  faith  in  a  supreme 
and  righteous  GroJ  it  may  not  be  exactly  jusl  to  the 
©sthetic  side  of  our  natures,  it  is  not  great  in  art 
The  reformers  were  not  particularly  known  as  ad- 
mirers of  nature.  These  deep-souled  men  were  un- 
moved by  the  sentimental  raptures  of  a  Rousseau,  and 
Indeed,  could  scarcely  enter  into  the  deep  feeling  for 
nature  of  the  0.  T.  writers.  Luther  thought  the  Levi- 
athan and  Behemoth  of  the  Book  of  Job,  were  alleg 
icil  representations  of  the  devil.  But  in  thai  enter- 
prise which  crosses  vast  nntraveled  seas,  which  pene- 
trates the  unexplored  depths  of  new  continents  and 
founds  commonwealths  while  keeping  savage  foes  at 
bay  on  the  one  band,  and  wresting  libert}  from  civil 
ized  foes  on  the  other,  it  is  without  a  rival  in  the  his 
tory  of  mankind 

The  doctrine  which  Is  common  to  Calvinism  and  to 
Protestantism  generally  that  each  individual  mind  ma\ 


2  6  THE  PEE  SB  YTE1UA  N  ELEMENT  IN  0  Uli 

be  in  direct  communication  with  its  Creator,  that  he  has 
revealed  his  will  by  the  written  word  to  all,  must  tend 
to  the  universal  diffusion  of  learning;  on  the  other 
hand,  the  doctrine  that  God  is  a  God  of  order  and  plan 
must  tend  to  encourage  that  higher  learning  which 
seeks  to  discover  the  order  and  system  of  the  universe. 
Hence  Calvinism  has  been  the  source  not  only  of  the 
common  school  system  as  it  exists  in  our  own  country, 
but  of  almost  every  one  of  our  earlier  colleges  and 
universities.  Notably  Harvard,  Yale,  Princeton,  Union, 
Bowdoin,  Dartmouth,  Rutgers,  Dickinson,  "Washington 
and  Jefferson,  Middlebury,  Hampden  Sidney,  Amherst, 
Lafayette  and  Hamilton,  not  to  mention  more  recent 
enterprises.  For  generations  nearly  the  entire  culti- 
vated mind  of  the  country  was  under  its  training  and 
stamped  with  its  peculiar  impress. 

Thus  it  is  no  mere  sullen,  stubborn,  blind  power  of 
endurance  and  of  resistance  which  Calvinism  lias  con- 
tributed t«>  the  country.  Calvinism  is  not  a  cold  stoi- 
cism :  nor.  on  the  other  hand,  is  it  a  daring  fanaticism 
which  can  give  no  account  of  itself  or  of  its  actions.  It 
is  nol  a  sort  of  baptized  [slamism  as  some  have  believed 
it  to  be.  It  is  not  fatalism,  the  doctrine  of  bigots  and 
of  oriental  dreamers.  This  indeed  has  conquered  q 
name  and  created  ;i  despotism,  but  it  lias  never  marked 
its  course  with  free  schools  and  colleges.  It  is  the  in- 
telligent, philosophical  and  Scriptural  dogma  oi  predes- 
tination, not  fatalism,  thai  is  i<>  be  associated  with  Cal- 
vinism. It  is  the  doctrine  of  a  supreme,  intelligent, 
infinitely-wise  Ruler  of  the  universe,  who  acts  with  in- 
finite forethought,  and  whose  purposes  are  the  best,  the 
holiest,  the  most    beneficenl    that  can  possibly  be.     It 


XA  TIOXA  L  LIFE  .  1  XI)  BI9  TOR  Y.  21 

is  such  a  doctrine  that  in  every  age  has  found  its 
place  in  the  minds  of  resolute,  well-poised,  thinking 
men,  and  that  has  ever  tended  to  form,  train  and  devel- 
op an  order  of  things,  and  a  class  of  minds  of  exalted 
character  in  sympathy  with  itself.  This  was  the  chief 
historic  factor  in  our  country's  life,  when  it  started  on 
its  career  a  hundred  years  ago. 

Many  other  elements  have  been  introduced  in  the 
intervening  century;  not  a  few  of  them  readily  har- 
monizing and  blending  naturally  with  the  preexisting- 
status;  some  of  them  little  else  than  old  world  out- 
growths  and  developments  of  the  Calvinistic  move- 
ment;  some  of  them  developments  in  directions  over- 
looked by  Calvinism,  and  necessary  to  give  greater 
elasticity  to  American  manhood  :  some  contributing  the 
much-needed  aesthetic  element:  some  conspicuously 
hostile  to  Calvinism  and  perilous  to  the  republic  itself. 
Calvinism  itself  has  had  its  vicissitudes,  it--  severe  ex- 
periences; it  has  undergone  modifications,  it  has  learned 
something  from  the  new  world  of  which  it  was  in  some 
true  sense  the  author.  The  great  increase  of  the  par- 
tially educated  or  the  ignorant  classes  in  our  oountrj 
has  gone  beyond  her  power  of  supply  through  her  solid 
and  somewhal  cumbrous  machinery*  Nor  have  these 
masses  taken  kindly  to  1km-  systematic,  thoughtful  and 
humbling  doctrines.  A  needless  rigidity  and  pertinac 
itv  among  American  Oalvinists  in  insisting  on  absolute 
Uniformity  of  doctrine  has  led  to  dissensions,  divisions 
and  temporary  weakness,  and  increased  the  prejudices 
of  the  outside  world,  and  made  them  ready  to  hear  and 
-well  the  crv  against  lis  a-  m  oarrow-minded,  quarrel- 
some  and  hairsplitting  sect     More  than  thirty  veai 


28  THE  PRESBYTERIAN  ELEMENT  IS  OUR 

separation — one-third  of  the  previous  century — has  been 
spent  in  the  school  of  a  severe,  self-imposed  discipline, 
and  have  taught  us  a  lesson  of  forbearance,  generosity 
and  comprehensiveness  which  it  will  take  us  at  least  a 
century  to  forget. 

At  the  close  of  the  Revolution,  President  Stiles 
preached  an  election  sermon  before  the  Legislature  of 
Connecticut.  His  inspiring  theme  was  "the  Future 
Glory  of  the  United  States.''  Among  other  prophetic 
outgivings  he  declared  that  "  when  we  look  forward  and 
see  this  country  increased  to  forty  or  fifty  millions, 
while  we  shall  see  all  the  religious  sects  increased  into 
respectable  bodies,  we  shall  doubtless  find  the  united 
body  of  the  Congregational  and  Presbyterian  Churches 
making  an  equal  figure  with  any  two  of  them." 

The  period  contemplated  by  the  seer  of  New  Haven 
has  arrived.  The  population  has  passed  its  limit  of 
forty  millions.  At  the  opening  of  the  Revolution,  Com 
gregationalism  stood  at  the  head  of  the  American 
Church  in  wealth  and  numbers.  Presbyterianism  stood 
fourth.  That  branch  of  the  Congregationalists  which 
grew  out  of  the  schism  of  Roger  Williams,  held  the 
second  place,  and  the  Church  of  England  the  third. 
The  standing  of  these  denominations  to-day  is  stated 
about  as  follows :  Baptists  second,  Presbyterians  third, 
Congregationalists  seventh,  and  Episcopalians  eighth ; 
the  Presbyterians  strictly  so-called,  being  the  only  one 
of  the  four  which  has  made  any  relative  advance.  The 
Baptists  have  held  their  own,  the  Roman  Catholics 
have  pressed  forward  to  the  place  vacated  by  the  Pres- 
byterians, while  a  denomination  scarcely  known  even 
by  name  to  Dr.  Stiles,  and  barely  dshered  into  exist 


V.  I  TIONA  L  LIFE  A  ND  11 1ST  OR  Y.  2 !  > 

ence  at  the  revolutionary  era.  by  giant  strides  has  placed 
itself  numerically  in  the  front  rank  of  all — the  Metho- 
dists. 

The  anticipations  of  the  preacher  have,  therefore, 
not  been  realized.  By  statistics,  it  by  no  means  ap- 
pears that  the  combined  forces  of  Presbyterians  and 
Congregational ists  hold  to-day  the  dominant  position 
with  which  they  ushered  in  the  century.  Yet  it  is 
noticeable  that  Presbyterians  as  such  have  no  reason  to 
be  discouraged  by  the  showing  of  these  statistics.  It 
would  seem  as  if  to  them  would  be  committed  the  chief 
guardianship  of  the  interests  originally  shared  between 
themselves  and  the  Congregationalists.  In  spite  of  our 
internal  difficulties,  we  have  made  a  decided  advance 
relatively  to  all  the  other  religious  bodies,  with  one  or 
two  exceptions.  Let  us  not  be  misunderstood.  Far 
be  it  from  us  at  this  Centennial  celebration  to  utter  the 
word  Presbyterian  or  to  press  a  claim  for  Presbyteri- 
auism  as  such  to  the  disparagement  of  the  profoundly 
Valuable  services  of  other  Evangelical  denominations 
in  strengthening  the  supports  <»1  civic  virtue,  and  in 
furnishing  those  Christian  elements  which  alone  can 
give  stability  to  a  republican  form  of  government 

It  is  a  great  work  to  which  all  of  God's  people  in  this 

nation  without  distinction  of  sect  are  called.  To  main- 
tain and  to  diffuse  throughout  the  body  of  the  Ameri- 
can people  that  strength  and  purity  '^  Christian  senti- 
ment which  will  qualify  thcni  for  the  responsibilities  oi 
self-government,  on  ao  grand  a  scale  as  it  has  now 
reached,  and  is  likelj  to  reach  in  the  second  century  ^>( 
its  existence  ;  t<»  successfully  combat  and  counterwork 
the  undermining  influences  »>f  unbelief  both  in  its  •!" 


; ',  0  THE  FliESB  YTEUIA  N  ELEMENT  IN  0 1 11 

mestie  and  irs  imported  manifestations;  to  maintain 
tbe  predominance  of  those  educational  institutions  in 
which  religion  and  science  go  hand  in  hand  as  com- 
rades and  co-workers  to  the  glory  of  God ;  and  which 
are  now  confronted  with  largely  endowed  and  vigorous 
institutions  to  whose  s}'stem  of  instruction  Evangelical 
religion  and  the  inspired  Word  of  God  are  outside 
matters,  concerns  of  no  moment,  put  upon  a  par  with 
the  oracles  of  Zoroaster  or  the  dreams  of  Mohammed  : 
to  purify  the  turbid  atmosphere  of  political  strife,  and 
to  put  a  meaning  and  a  power  into  the  cry  for  reform : 
to  uplift  once  more  the  old  commercial  virtues  of  prob- 
ity, of  contentment  with  legitimate  gain,  in  place  of  the 
wild  frenzies  of  the  Stock  Exchange  and  the  specula- 
tive mania  that  taints  our  regular  business  transactions 
with  the  very  air  of  the  gambling  saloon  ;  to  see  that 
our  conquests  for  freedom  to  men  of  every  race  and 
color,  gained  by  unparalleled  cost  of  blood  and  treas- 
ure, shall  not  be  rendered  void  by  intimidation  and  by 
partisan  trickery ;  and  that  every  man  in  this  broad 
Union,  be  he  black  or  white,  from  Maine  to  Texas,  and 
from  Florida  to  Alaska,  shall  be  protected  in  the  exer- 
cise of  the  rights  of  citizenship ;  to  beware  of  the  designs 
of  Eome  upon  our  free  schools,  with  their  unsectarian 
Bible,  and  upon  the  whole  civil  and  religious  fabric  of 
our  Republic,  through  the  Jesuitical  manipulation  of 
our  political  machinery;  in  short,  to  bear  the  interests 
of  this  great  nation  deep  in  our  Christian  sympathies 
and  prayers  and  to  contend  manfully  against  its  cue- 
in  irs  upon  the  right  hand  and  the  left  is  no  exclusive 
prerogative  of  any  denomination  in  the  church  of 
America  ;  it   demands  the  united    energies  of  us  all 


NA  T/OXA  L  LIFE  A  ND  HIS  TOR  Y.  8 1 

But  if  to  any  one  of  us  the  privilege  of  the  post  of 
danger,  of  standard  bearer  is  to  be  given,  our  own  de- 
nomination, may,  without  presumption,  expect  to  hold 
that  position.  With  its  unrivalled  patriotic  and  his- 
toric memories,  with  its  inherent  and  demonstrated  af- 
finities for  a  Republican  form  of  government,  with  its 
reunited  ranks  find  wings  stretching  broadly  over  the 
laud,  emerging  with  an  enlarged  and  catholic  spirit, 
from  its  recent  divisions,  and  yet  cleaving  unalterably 
to  the  great  pillars  of  doctrinal  truth  which  are  based 
upon  the  Bock  of  Ages,  and  which  reach  with  the 
divine  faithfulness  to  the  clouds,  we,  my  brethren,  with 
the  wealth  and  culture  and  enterprise  and  energy  and 
solidity  of  character  which  still  belong  to  our  body, 
with  our  various  well-organized  schemes  of  beneficence 
and  Christian  work,  and  our  thousand  missionaries  in 
our  great  cities  and  along  our  border,  may.  by  the 
-ingof  God,  nay,  ought  to  and  must,  unless  shame- 
fully derelict,  achieve  a  work  for  our  country  as  dis- 
tinguished as  memorable,  and  as  essentia]  to  the  benefi- 
cent effects  of  American  civilization  in  the  century  to 
'•"inc.  as  was  the  work  of  our  honored  fathers  in  the 
century  past 


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